notion
Americannoun
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notions
plural
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a general understanding; vague or imperfect conception or idea of something.
a notion of how something should be done.
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an opinion, view, or belief.
That's his notion, not mine.
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conception or idea.
his notion of democracy.
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a fanciful or foolish idea; whim.
She had a notion to swim in the winter.
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an ingenious article, device, or contrivance; knickknack.
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notions, small articles, as buttons, thread, ribbon, and other personal items, especially such items displayed together for sale, as in a department store.
noun
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a vague idea; impression
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an idea, concept, or opinion
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an inclination or whim
Usage
What are other ways to say notion? A notion is a vague or imperfect idea or a general understanding of something. How is it different from thought, conception, and idea? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of notion
First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin nōtiōn- (stem of nōtiō ) “examination, idea,” equivalent to (g)nōt(us), past participle of (g)nōscere “to come to know” + -iōn- suffix forming nouns; see notify, -ion
Explanation
If you have a notion that you can swim across the ocean, you are probably wrong. A notion is an idea, often vague and sometimes fanciful. A notion is lighter than a theory and embraces a whimsy that a simple idea never could. You might have the notion that you can slow global warming by taking public transportation and reusing plastic bags. If you share a far-fetched idea with others, someone might respond with a "Where'd you get that notion?!" Notions can also refer to the buttons, thread, zippers, and pins necessary for sewing things. So if you have a notion to create your own Halloween costume, you better pick up some notions from the craft store.
Vocabulary lists containing notion
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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:
Most older Americans want to age in place, according to many surveys, and the notion of lowering their housing expenses while doing so is very attractive.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
Trautman never flagged in his struggles with distribution, wartime shortages, congressional interference and intransigent publishers, who first resisted paperbacks and then the notion that they should provide books—at cost—as part of the war effort.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
Yet the notion of a working gardener suggests continuous activity, watering down the image of a man slowing down.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
Herzog impresses this notion from the very beginning: A dream shared by Joan and Jean, in which the sisters stand in a corridor flanked by caged birds.
From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026
Some free African Americans spoke out, yet the notion of colonization persisted— even Abraham Lincoln favored it as a presidential candidate in 1860.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
It was only four decades later that his notions of heritability were recognized as breakthroughs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
But that didn’t prevent these notions from taking root on social media or networks like Hulu.
From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2026
The label said the collection sought to upend "traditional notions of chic" and rework historical silhouettes.
From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026
Edmonds and Frahm ask: "What and who determined a king's 'canonicity'? How did this intersect with Assyrian cultural memory or notions of kingship? Was the AKL's function at all practical, or solely ceremonial?"
From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026
For a start, his radical notions questioned the foundations of their discipline, seldom an effective way to generate warmth in an audience.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
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.
