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Synonyms

invent

American  
[in-vent] / ɪnˈvɛnt /

verb (used with object)

  1. to originate or create as a product of one's own ingenuity, experimentation, or contrivance.

    to invent the telegraph.

    Synonyms:
    contrive, devise
  2. to produce or create with the imagination.

    to invent a story.

    Synonyms:
    conceive, imagine
  3. to make up or fabricate (something fictitious or false).

    to invent excuses.

    Synonyms:
    concoct
  4. Archaic. to come upon; find.


invent British  
/ ɪnˈvɛnt /

verb

  1. to create or devise (new ideas, machines, etc)

  2. to make up (falsehoods); fabricate

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See discover.

Other Word Forms

  • inventable adjective
  • inventible adjective
  • outinvent verb (used with object)
  • preinvent verb (used with object)
  • self-invented adjective
  • uninvented adjective
  • well-invented adjective

Etymology

Origin of invent

First recorded in 1425–75; back formation from late Middle English invented (past participle) “found, discovered,” from Latin invent(us) “encountered” (past participle of invenīre “to come upon, encounter, find,” from in- in- 2 + venīre “to come”; come ) + -ed 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“AI is really pushing the envelope for performance and reliability,” Yang said, adding that some chip customers are planning around materials that haven’t even been invented yet.

From MarketWatch

"AI 'enhancements' can invent faces, weapons, and other critical details that were never visible in original footage -- or in real life."

From Barron's

Whether or not it is innate, the faculty was recognized by the Greeks when they invented philosophy around the sixth century B.C.

From The Wall Street Journal

“It’s a language more ancient than any invented by humans.”

From Literature

The thing’s enormous, eight feet high and wide, with webs of wires and rows of rotating rotors—like something the Son of Frankenstein might have invented, if he’d been a brilliant code breaker.

From Literature