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.
Examples of innovation in a Sentence
Jerry Cahn, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
In contrast, the Cincinnati area is aging more quickly and struggling to draw in younger workers — a trend that, according to the chamber's report, could hinder the region’s ability to compete with other metros in business growth, infrastructure development, and innovation.
—Randy Tucker, The Enquirer, 25 July 2025
But amidst the energy and innovation, uncertainty lingered over international trade.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 25 July 2025
The hub for creativity and innovation remains committed to arts and culture as a pillar of its development plans through several avenues, like its art district, floodwall murals and renowned National Quilt Museum.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for innovation
Cite this Entry
“Innovation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/innovation. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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innovation
noun
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