ideas

noun

plural of idea
1
as in thoughts
something imagined or pictured in the mind my idea of the perfect vacation spot is an uncrowded, unspoiled beach

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2
as in models
someone of such unequaled perfection as to deserve imitation Helen Keller remains my idea of a person with indomitable spirit

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3
as in plans
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish the idea is to get the information without seeming to be nosy

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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 ideas The new experiment tested those competing ideas by deliberately weakening the electron interactions. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026 If Hilton defies the odds this November, his ideas are all but certain to get a frosty reception in what’s likely to be a Democratic supermajority in the Legislature. — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026 Before long, at the height of France’s own student protests, in 1968, Ascherson was lecturing at the Sorbonne on post-Stalinist revolutionary ideas and tactics. — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2026 As the earliest possible section of the game, no new mechanics were present, and the larger ideas and structure are still a big mystery. — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 3 Sep. 2026 Still, even the most radical ideas have been amplified by some in power. — ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026 And how does this central relationship change the characters’ ideas of justice and healing? — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2026 Trying to fit Hinduism into Western categories of theisms diverges from the tradition’s diverse history of ideas while mixing internal understandings with European perspectives and categories. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026 As large employers moved from employment guarantees to frequent downsizing during the 1980s and 1990s, ideas of loyalty became passé. — Matthew Bidwell, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ideas
  1. thoughts
  2. models
  3. plans
  4. notions
  5. examples
  6. goals
  7. concepts
  8. ideals
Noun
  • The visual style references a late 1980s Donna Karan campaign and video, photographed by Dennis Piel, that featured Rosemary McGrotha expressing her inner thoughts inside a limousine coming into New York.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Fans took to YouTube and Instagram to share their thoughts on the teaser clip.
    — Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of thoughts
Noun
  • OpenAI's choice to end developers' access to its models via Cursor is not a first in the industry.
    — Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
  • This is why the results from the MHS research preview and Anthropic’s frontier AI models are so meaningful.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of models
Noun
  • Once the moon enters Gemini, conversations will pick up speed as plans become more flexible.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
  • That includes its previous plans to commit more than $10 billion to autonomous vehicles in the coming years.
    — Samantha Subin, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of plans
Noun
  • Then come the notions and hardware, like earring posts, beads and crystal accents, that complete the transformation from fleeting flora to lasting adornment.
    — Leigh-Ann Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • My novel The Rayburn Affair lays bare notions of friendship, rivalry, envy, authorship, and power.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of notions
Noun
  • Silvester’s concept became the Falcon Study, a new interpretation of the original developed by his San Diego start-up Q7 Yacht Designs, with naval architecture by Dutch firm Dykstra, known for its work on the series of nascent J-Class examples.
    — Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 30 Aug. 2026
  • There are already examples in other sports of athletes moving between professional and college systems without producing the same alarm.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of examples
Noun
  • Boise’s City Council on Tuesday denied an appeal from the Cathedral of the Rockies seeking to pave a parking area adjacent to its North End church, dealing a blow to an application that pit arguments of religious freedom against municipal goals.
    — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 3 Sep. 2026
  • One of the goals behind the Lele pop-up for Uditi, who grew up in Caserta, outside of Naples, was to highlight the cuisine of his native Campania.
    — Margy Rochlin, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of goals
Noun
  • Lithium-7, meanwhile, is used in advanced fission concepts, including molten salt reactors.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Open Concepts With more mixed reactions than the other trends, open concepts fill out the top five most controversial design trends.
    — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of concepts
Noun
  • Starting in the 1960s, at a time when women were largely limited to domestic roles, Steinem challenged gender stereotypes and championed feminist ideals like equality, sisterhood and reproductive freedom.
    — Juliana Kim, NPR, 3 Sep. 2026
  • This older world is often focused on common American ideals of individualism and grit as the primary tools for attaining personal success.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of ideals

Browse Nearby Words

ideals
ideas
ideate
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Cite this Entry

“Ideas.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ideas. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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