innovation
noun
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What is the difference between innovation and invention?
The words innovation and invention overlap semantically but are really quite distinct.
Invention can refer to a type of musical composition, a falsehood, a discovery, or any product of the imagination. The sense of invention most likely to be confused with innovation is “a device, contrivance, or process originated after study and experiment,” usually something which has not previously been in existence.
Innovation, for its part, can refer to something new or to a change made to an existing product, idea, or field. One might say that the first telephone was an invention, the first cellular telephone either an invention or an innovation, and the first smartphone an innovation.
Examples of innovation in a Sentence
Virginie Berger, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
The future of trucking safety lies in finding this delicate balance between technological innovation and personal privacy rights.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 15 Mar. 2025
On paper, Anvari’s slew of innovations should work.
—Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 14 Mar. 2025
His reputation for efficiency and innovation means that actors must be prepared to adapt quickly.
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for innovation
Articles Related to innovation
Cite this Entry
“Innovation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/innovation. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.
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innovation
noun
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