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Synonyms

brainstorming

American  
[breyn-stawr-ming] / ˈbreɪnˌstɔr mɪŋ /

noun

  1. 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.


brainstorming British  
/ ˈbreɪnˌstɔːmɪŋ /

noun

  1. intensive discussion to solve problems or generate ideas

"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

Etymology

Origin of brainstorming

First recorded in 1955–60; brainstorm + -ing 1

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.

"When a human has an agent of their own, a company has a super employee," he said of brainstorming and delegating tasks to Trinity AI agents conversationally while commuting.

From Barron's • Mar. 18, 2026

"No names yet but we are brainstorming," he said.

From BBC • Feb. 11, 2026

Amazon executives were brainstorming a list of female directors in late 2024 for a documentary about Melania Trump, a project the company had bid $40 million to distribute.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

That was such a thrill to write to finally give Steve a moment because the brainstorming almost always goes to Dustin.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 25, 2025

After two weeks of brainstorming, we still couldn’t come up with the perfect thing for Dad.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller