ideation
Americannoun
Usage
What does ideation mean? Ideation is the act or process of forming ideas or images in one’s mind. Warning: This article involves discussion of the sensitive topic of suicide. If you or someone you know needs support, call the toll-free, 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. You can also text HOME to 741741 for free to get 24/7 support from the Crisis Text Line. The term ideation is especially used in the context of psychology to refer to thought processes focusing on a particular action, as in phrases like suicidal ideation (suicidal thoughts) and violent ideation (thoughts about committing violence). Sometimes, ideation is used to refer to the kind of brainstorming done in a business setting to generate new ideas. Ideation is the noun form of the verb ideate, meaning to form ideas or to think. Example: During meditation, you are encouraged to refrain from ideation of any kind—clear your mind of all thoughts.
Etymology
Origin of ideation
Explanation
Ideation is the act of coming up with an idea, like when a cartoon light bulb appears above someone’s head. If you imagine a flying car and think of how to make it, that's ideation. It's a creative process. Ideation might sound new, but the word has been around since the 1800's. It looks like a blend of idea and creation, and it is — a brainstorming session is a type of ideation. In medical speak, ideation is "the forming of mental images." In this sense the word is often paired with suicidal — suicidal ideation refers to someone thinking about killing herself. Sadly, that’s the most common use of ideation.
Vocabulary lists containing ideation
The Ingenious Lexicon of Invention
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Finding Junie Kim
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It's Kind of a Funny Story
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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.
However, research is increasingly showing that wildfire survivors have a significantly higher risk of suicidal ideation, depression and anxiety — especially during year two of recovery.
From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026
Black women have also historically reported suicidal ideation during the postpartum period at a rate roughly double that of white women.
From Salon • Apr. 21, 2026
She’s done extensive research showing that food insecurity is strongly associated with major maternal depressive symptoms; she points to research focused on the association between food insecurity and suicidal ideation and attempts in teenagers.
From Slate • Apr. 19, 2026
In the fashion industry, it takes around six months to design and produce a collection of clothing, from ideation and concept building to the day items end up in stores and online.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 12, 2025
The better creatures are able to communicate ideation or thought, the stronger and more frequent are the evidences of their possession of reason.
From The Dawn of Reason or, Mental Traits in the Lower Animals by Weir, James
Definitions 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.
