brainstorming

noun

brain·​storm·​ing ˈbrān-ˌstȯr-miŋ How to pronounce brainstorming (audio)
plural brainstormings
: a group problem-solving technique that involves the spontaneous contribution of ideas from all members of the group
conducted several brainstorming sessions
also : the mulling over of ideas by one or more individuals in an attempt to devise or find a solution to a problem
… he's already done some brainstorming about new marketing strategies. George Lazarus

Examples of brainstorming in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The park’s master builders crafted the dinosaurs using every color at their disposal, which took two years of brainstorming and building. Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2024 On the other hand, weeks could go by with little more than the occasional brainstorming session. Cal Newport, The New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2024 Cass, Choi, and Schroeder then had a brainstorming session. IEEE Spectrum, 4 Mar. 2024 Collaborative brainstorming sessions often lead to groundbreaking partnerships and memorable campaigns that capture attention. King Holder, Rolling Stone, 4 Mar. 2024 The age-old practice of late-night brainstorming could soon become a thing of the past as AI provides timely, actionable insights, shifting the paradigm of strategic planning completely. Sanjay Bhatia, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 After months of brainstorming—Katzen from her home in western Connecticut; Guadagnoli from hers upstate—their collaboration culminated in an epic feast of Katzen’s recipes last month at Taconic Ridge Farm, in Hillsdale, N.Y. Dana Bowen / Photography By Landon Speers For The Wall Street Journal , WSJ, 13 Dec. 2023 Use their differing skill sets and experiences to your advantage by setting up regular content brainstorming sessions. Bradley Keenan, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Then, after months of secret meetings and dinners and brainstorming, everything abruptly unraveled. Kurt Wagner, Fortune, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'brainstorming.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of brainstorming was in 1907

Dictionary Entries Near brainstorming

Cite this Entry

“Brainstorming.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brainstorming. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

brainstorming

noun
brain·​storm·​ing -stȯrm-iŋ How to pronounce brainstorming (audio)
: a technique used to solve problems and encourage creativity in which members of a group share their ideas about a subject
brainstorm verb

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