INVENTION Synonyms: 110 Similar and Opposite Words

invention

noun

in-ˈven(t)-shən

Definition of invention

as in innovation

something (as a device) created for the first time through the use of the imagination his clever invention made people's lives easier

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in fiction

something that is the product of the imagination unsurprisingly, the story about being kidnapped by aliens was pure invention

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in imagination

the ability to form mental images of things that either are not physically present or have never been conceived or created by others a writer with great invention, she is able to create on the page worlds that don't exist but certainly seem like they could

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in creativity

the skill and imagination to create new things a person of seemingly endless invention, Thomas Edison held a world-record 1,093 patents

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of invention Park’s comments come as Gromit prepares for a major first after almost four decades of silently reacting to his owner’s increasingly outlandish inventions. — Sadie Andrew, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026 The Lumière brothers, makers of the cinematograph device, brought their invention to Budapest's Grand Hotel Royal in 1896 — just months after its Paris debut — and had camera operators film landmarks in the city the same year. — Lucy Handley, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026 Electric toothbrushes and waterjet flossers have dominated home dental-care since their invention some half-century ago. — Emma Barker Bonomo, Time, 15 Oct. 2026 To determine what ideas, creations, content and new inventions are protectable and leverageable, clear policies and processes are not just helpful but necessary. — Jennifer C. Wolfe, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for invention

Recent Examples of Synonyms for invention

Noun

Policymakers recognized that American companies needed a stronger reason to invest in innovation.

— Rick Lazio, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Turning the tables, American technology innovation companies are positioning AI data centers as major water producers rather than water guzzlers.

— Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of innovation

Noun

Installations blur the line between archival documentation and fiction.

— Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Goebbels interviewed Wessel’s grieving mother and wrote of Jaenichen and Wessel as childhood sweethearts, as though their story was from romance fiction.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of fiction

Noun

Love doesn’t necessarily make a good photograph, but the photographer’s interest, and the intelligence and imagination behind it, can contribute to the making of a picture that interests us.

— Hilton Als, New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2026
His novels are absolute master classes in how much to reveal, how much to leave to the reader’s terrified imagination.

— The Week US, TheWeek, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of imagination

Noun

Wildwood is a dark tale, with whispers of a witch, set against the beautiful yet formidable backdrop of rural New England.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
The tale is energized by the thoughtful performances of Hanns Zischler, as Mann, and Sandra Hüller, as the author’s daughter Erika, who accompanies him while reviving conflicts from her own past.

— Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of tale

Noun

FiftyPlusOne included the group’s data in its polling averages, but found evidence of fabrications.

— Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026
The staff report said the loan will be disbursed only after the company has paid invoices for materials, construction and equipment fabrication.

— Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of fabrication

Browse Nearby Words

inventing

invention

inventions

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Invention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/invention. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of invention

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on invention

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

grotesque

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes