1
as in inventive
having the skill and imagination to create new things
an ingenious but rather eccentric inventor
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clever
showing a noteworthy use of the imagination and creativity especially in inventing
a chair that can't tip over is quite ingenious
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Recent Examples of ingenious
In 2024, a team of researchers used an ingenious new heap design to transform a classic shortest-paths algorithm into one that is theoretically optimal for any network layout.
—
Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 16 Jan. 2026
Kids Songs for Bathtime Toddlers and preschool age kids are sticky messes who sometimes find ingenious ways of getting dirty, which means that skipping bathtime is a big no-no.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 16 Jan. 2026
Nguyen is a connoisseur of games, and his musings about them are ingenious and entertaining.
—Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
So our ingenious answer is to make Idaho the only state with firing squad as its preferred execution method?
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ingenious
Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 16 Jan. 2026
Kids Songs for Bathtime Toddlers and preschool age kids are sticky messes who sometimes find ingenious ways of getting dirty, which means that skipping bathtime is a big no-no.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 16 Jan. 2026
Nguyen is a connoisseur of games, and his musings about them are ingenious and entertaining.
—Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
So our ingenious answer is to make Idaho the only state with firing squad as its preferred execution method?
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ingenious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ingenious
Adjective
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The enticing menu offers the best of American cuisine but with an inventive, upscale edge.—
Courtney Cherry,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
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This Black History Month, Milwaukee institutions, organizations, and artists are finding immersive and inventive ways to connect audiences with the richness of Black history and culture.—
Anya Sesay,
jsonline.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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What followed was very clever and fun.—
John Cherwa,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
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For progressives, the undisputed master of the viral protest song is the thirty-three-year-old folksinger Jesse Welles, who makes videos of himself standing in a field, singing clever miniature tunes about the hypocrisies of the health-care industry, tech billionaires, ICE.—
Mitch Therieau,
New Yorker,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The innovative idea also focuses on reducing operational costs, minimizing the requirement for buying expensive land to build data centers.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
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Planeta and his team work on local, national, and international residential, corporate, mixed-use, and retail design projects, approaching each with a commitment to finding innovative solutions to its clients’ needs.—
Elizabeth Stamp,
Architectural Digest,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Don't forget to check out the imaginative temporary special exhibits as well.—
Elena Donovan Mauer,
Parents,
8 Feb. 2026
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It’s all served well by the imaginative music of (mostly) Michael Koerner, delivered onstage by the duo of accordionist Victor Zupanc and guitarist Joe Cruz.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The bear that rips the plastic bass to shreds is AI-generated, said Nathan Monteith, the executive creative director at Highdive.—
Liam Rappleye,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
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Be creative, entrepreneurial and open to new experiences and professional networks while continuing to clarify your interests, purpose, and goals.—
Micki Meyer,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The talented Czech goalies are practically salivating at the opportunity.—
Jesse Granger,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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This season’s runways will feature household names, like Adore Me and Naeem Khan, as well as dozens of talented independent designers.—
Kelsey Stiegman,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ingenious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ingenious. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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