brainstorm

American  

[breyn-stawrm] / ˈbreɪnˌstɔrm /

noun

1. 1. a sudden impulse, idea, etc..

      Her most recent brainstorm of teaching her dog to surf wasn’t met with much enthusiasm from the dog.

   2. Chiefly British Informal. a fit of mental confusion or excitement.

2. a session of brainstorming.

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adjective

1. of or relating to brainstorming.

verb (used without object)

1. to conduct or practice brainstorming, a technique for generating ideas and solving specific problems with uncensored and nonlinear thinking, usually performed through group participation in a spontaneous discussion where all ideas are noted without assigning them value, and no proposal is selected or discarded until after the conclusion of the creative exercise.

verb (used with object)

1. to generate (ideas, solutions, questions, etc.) through brainstorming.

brainstorm British  

/ ˈbreɪnˌstɔːm /

noun

1. a severe outburst of excitement, often as the result of a transitory disturbance of cerebral activity

2. informal a sudden mental aberration

3. informal another word for brainwave

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Other Word Forms

• brainstormer noun

Etymology

Origin of brainstorm

First recorded in 1890–95; brain + storm; originally a manifestation of a serious psychiatric disorder

Example Sentences

At their monthly lunches, Baxter notes that he and Sotto would continue to brainstorm new Disney attractions or alternative directions to what the company was announcing.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2025

Allan Binder, a teacher and sound engineer currently based in Hanoi, Vietnam, said he started using AI last year to brainstorm gift ideas for friends and family in the US.

From BBC • Dec. 9, 2025

To help you brainstorm, Barron’s ran a stock screen via FactSet and looked for companies with large market capitalizations in three classically defensive sectors—consumer staples, utilities, and healthcare—that also boast solid earnings and dividends.

From Barron's • Nov. 8, 2025

With Barberis guiding the discussion, Webb and his family spent a few hours talking about what was important to them to brainstorm their mission statement.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 19, 2025

“Are you having a brainstorm or do you just really, really like chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream?”

From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein

Related Words

• deliberate