ideation

noun

ide·​a·​tion ˌī-dē-ˈā-shən How to pronounce ideation (audio)
: the capacity for or the act of forming or entertaining ideas
Local coaches and mentors guide student teams through the process of ideation, market research, and business plan development …Maryann Mills
… the new space offers a smorgasbord of work environments—cozy two-chair-and-a-screen setups for small Zoom gatherings, … and floor-to-ceiling whiteboards in some places for spontaneous ideationChase DiFeliciantonio
see also suicidal ideation

Examples of ideation in a Sentence

a product designer who went from ideation to creation quickly
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Take me through your process a little bit, from ideation to whatever the final product is. Bethy Squires, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2024 Another case, though, has emerged with the same hallmarks of parental negligence, arguable neglect, and a child whose alleged violent ideation went unchecked. Aja Romano, Vox, 6 Sep. 2024 It’s used to report crimes, fights, threats, vandalism, graffiti, vaping in the bathroom, suicide ideation and more. Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2024 Its strength lies in its highly visual and flexible platform, which helps users with real-time brainstorming, ideation and collaborative design. Melody Brue, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ideation 

Word History

First Known Use

1805, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ideation was in 1805

Dictionary Entries Near ideation

Cite this Entry

“Ideation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ideation. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

ideation

noun
ide·​a·​tion ˌīd-ē-ˈā-shən How to pronounce ideation (audio)
: the capacity for or the act of forming or entertaining ideas
The spectrum of paranoid ideation goes from mild distrust and suspiciousness to full-blown persecutory delusions.R. Bianchi and L. Janin, Occupational Medicine
The cognitive ability to generate many creative ideas, or creative ideation, is one facet of creativity.Tammy C. Pannells and Amy F. Claxton, Creativity Research Journal
see also suicidal ideation

More from Merriam-Webster on ideation

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!