create
Americanverb (used with object)
-
creates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
created,
past participle, past
-
creating
present participle
-
to cause to come into being, as something unique that would not naturally evolve or that is not made by ordinary processes.
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to evolve from one's own thought or imagination, as a work of art or an invention.
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Theater. to perform (a role) for the first time or in the first production of a play.
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to make by investing with new rank or by designating; constitute; appoint.
to create a peer.
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to be the cause or occasion of; give rise to.
The announcement created confusion.
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to cause to happen; bring about; arrange, as by intention or design.
to create a revolution; to create an opportunity to ask for a raise.
verb (used without object)
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creates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
created,
past participle, past
-
creating
present participle
-
to do something creative or constructive.
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British. to make a fuss.
adjective
verb
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(tr) to cause to come into existence
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(tr) to invest with a new honour, office, or title; appoint
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(tr) to be the cause of
these circumstances created the revolution
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(tr) to act (a role) in the first production of a play
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(intr) to be engaged in creative work
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slang (intr) to make a fuss or uproar
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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intercreateverb (used with object)
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creatableadjective
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self-creatingadjective
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uncreatableadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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createsimple
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createssimple
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have createdperfect
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has createdperfect
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am creatingprogressive
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are creatingprogressive
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is creatingprogressive
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have been creatingperfect progressive
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has been creatingperfect progressive
Past
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createdsimple
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had createdperfect
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was creatingprogressive
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were creatingprogressive
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had been creatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of create
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English creat (past participle), from Latin creātus, equivalent to creā- (stem of creāre “to make”) + -tus past participle suffix
Explanation
To create simply means to make or bring into existence. Bakers create cakes, ants create problems at picnics, and you probably created a few imaginary friends when you were little. Similar to conceive and spawn and the exact opposite of destroy, create is a word that often implies a little bit of imagination. In fact, it takes a lot of creativity to create something spectacular; that is, unless you're a robot, and then your creations occur automatically. Or Mother Nature, where creation just happens naturally: Birds create nests, the tides create waves, and snowstorms create days off from school.
Vocabulary lists containing create
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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.
See Examples For:
For example, investors earlier this year broadly dumped software stocks as they worried that AI would be able to create inexpensive replacements for established software.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2026
“We’re going to create one billion fans,” says Jesse Cole, the Bananas’ omnipresent founder, owner and yellow-tuxedoed impresario.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust said saltmarsh restoration work at the nature reserve had helped create the perfect home for the newcomer.
From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026
The findings also contribute to a nationwide effort to create detailed maps of senescent cells throughout the human body.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 27, 2026
We can also use our minds to summon objects or create illusions and tons of other things.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
“But Bloom creates energy from hydrogen gas, with faster speed — three to four months.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026
A mushroom long consumed by communities in Asia may contain a substance capable of revealing new information about the human brain and how it creates conscious experience.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2026
“Each of these shocks show the fragility of the fossil-fuel supply chain and that creates tailwinds for alternative supply chains,” he says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026
Plus, a decade-old ‘timeless ticket’ promotion creates a customer service nightmare for the Milwaukee Brewers during their historic World Series run.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
The vast, fluid space creates an atmosphere of quiet harmony while actively shaping our experience by determining how art shall be displayed.
From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson
The agency was created in 2004 to patrol the Schengen visa-free travel area's external borders, fight cross-border crime and manage migratory flows.
From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026
Amsterdam-based Magnum, which has a market value of close to €11 billion, equivalent to around $12 billion, was created last year when Unilever spun off its ice-cream business.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026
"For wood-associated decomposing fungi, such environmental disruption may have created new ecological opportunities."
From Science Daily ● Oct. 26, 2026
In his first days after succeeding Sir Keir, Andy Burnham created the Office for the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026
In the process, Goldman Sachs created a security so opaque and complex that it would remain forever misunderstood by investors and rating agencies: the synthetic subprime mortgage bond–backed CDO, or collateralized debt obligation.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
The moment is the result of the hard work that has gone into creating Goblikon’s lore, look and physicality.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026
He took over the shop from his father and uncle and has spent the past two decades creating a hub for the local community and championing local producers.
From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026
"As we simplify HSBC, we are creating greater capacity to invest, grow and deliver strong returns for our shareholders," Elhedery said Tuesday.
From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026
The second bedroom and bathroom sit on the other side of the residence, creating separation between the sleeping quarters.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026
Rias, riverbeds that have been flooded by the sea, form deep harbors that reach inland, creating channels that can funnel waves.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
