innovation
noun
Did you know?
What is the difference between innovation and invention?
The words innovation and invention overlap semantically but are really quite distinct.
Invention can refer to a type of musical composition, a falsehood, a discovery, or any product of the imagination. The sense of invention most likely to be confused with innovation is “a device, contrivance, or process originated after study and experiment,” usually something which has not previously been in existence.
Innovation, for its part, can refer to something new or to a change made to an existing product, idea, or field. One might say that the first telephone was an invention, the first cellular telephone either an invention or an innovation, and the first smartphone an innovation.
Synonyms
Examples of innovation in a Sentence
Jon Stojan, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
The company is focused on consumer loans and has a penchant for innovation in credit assessment techniques.
—Brendan Ahern, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
As consumer mindsets increasingly prioritize efficacy and skin-loving benefits in both skincare and makeup products, K-beauty’s reputation for innovation offers a distinct competitive advantage in Western markets.
—Danielle James, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2024
Nichols went on to explain that the partnership was a natural fit between the two brands and an alignment of values: luxury and innovation.
—Kanika Talwar, WWD, 21 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Innovation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/innovation. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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innovation
noun
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