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Synonyms

notion

American  
[noh-shuhn] / ˈnoʊ ʃən /

noun

  1. a general understanding; vague or imperfect conception or idea of something.

    a notion of how something should be done.

  2. an opinion, view, or belief.

    That's his notion, not mine.

  3. conception or idea.

    his notion of democracy.

  4. a fanciful or foolish idea; whim.

    She had a notion to swim in the winter.

  5. an ingenious article, device, or contrivance; knickknack.

  6. notions, small articles, as buttons, thread, ribbon, and other personal items, especially such items displayed together for sale, as in a department store.


notion British  
/ ˈnəʊʃən /

noun

  1. a vague idea; impression

  2. an idea, concept, or opinion

  3. an inclination or whim

"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

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

  • notionless adjective

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; notify, -ion

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.

It's true that Scotland should be beyond the point of just being happy going to the World Cup - and these players are way past that notion.

From BBC

Green, in a guest column for SI.com, said the notion that current officials are anything but de facto full-time employees is a myth — even though most hold down other careers while continuing to work NFL games.

From Los Angeles Times

Couple that with the group’s uncompromising punk rock attitude about their structure and message, and it’s easy to see why Irreversible Entanglements might not fit cleanly into everyone’s preconceived notions about “jazz.”

From Los Angeles Times

He had fanciful notions about Native Americans until he got to know some as people.

From Los Angeles Times

The league spokesman sharply disagreed with that notion.

From The Wall Street Journal