1
a(1)
: an individual's conception or impression of something known, experienced, or imagined
They had different notions of right and wrong.
(2)
: an inclusive general concept
arriving at the notion of law—
Irving Babbitt
Irving Babbitt
(3)
: a theory or belief held by a person or group
the notion of original sin
b
: a personal inclination : whim
He had a notion to try skydiving.
3
Examples of notion in a Sentence
He has some pretty strange notions.
She had a vague notion about what happened.
The study disproves any notion that dolphins are not intelligent.
She had a notion to try skydiving.
a sewing shop that sells fabrics, books, tools, and notions
Recent Examples on the Web
Linkages between these users and any administration would subvert the traditional notion of citizenship, and agreements between the entities would be unlike ordinary alliances.
—Henry A. Kissinger, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024
Mann scorned the notion of the writer as political activist.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024
Cases like these — and the slew of illicit shops padlocked by police on the local news — have the potential to alarm Americans who have only just begun to support the notion of legalization, and provide fuel for those who are opposed to it.
—Lavanya Ramanathan, Vox, 4 Nov. 2024
More specifically, history can expand our notion of what’s possible — while also limiting our notion of what’s likely.
—Joseph Thorndike, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for notion 
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Henry A. Kissinger, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024
Mann scorned the notion of the writer as political activist.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024
Cases like these — and the slew of illicit shops padlocked by police on the local news — have the potential to alarm Americans who have only just begun to support the notion of legalization, and provide fuel for those who are opposed to it.
—Lavanya Ramanathan, Vox, 4 Nov. 2024
More specifically, history can expand our notion of what’s possible — while also limiting our notion of what’s likely.
—Joseph Thorndike, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for notion
Dictionary Entries Near notion
Cite this Entry
“Notion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/notion. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
notion
noun
no·tion
ˈnō-shən 
1
a
: idea sense 2, conception
have a notion of a poem's meaning
b
: a belief held : opinion
c
: a sudden wish or desire : whim
just had a notion to go home
2
plural
: small useful articles (as pins, needles, or thread)
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