ingenuity

noun

in·​ge·​nu·​i·​ty ˌin-jə-ˈnü-ə-tē How to pronounce ingenuity (audio)
-ˈnyü-
plural ingenuities
1
a
: skill or cleverness in devising or combining : inventiveness
b
: cleverness or aptness of design or contrivance
2
: an ingenious device or contrivance
3
obsolete : candor, ingenuousness

Examples of ingenuity in a Sentence

She showed amazing ingenuity in finding ways to cut costs. It will take considerable ingenuity to fix these problems.
Recent Examples on the Web Use your ingenuity to achieve goals that are dedicated to self-improvement and building solid relationships. Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2024 For me, one of the benefits of Hollywood having been so out front in terms of what’s good for workers over this last year is talk about human creativity, talk about human ingenuity, right? Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Feb. 2024 This declaration signified a turning point in our digital narrative, heralding an era where the fusion of AI ingenuity and human creativity is redefining the contours of the SEO landscape. Roi Sorezki, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 American ingenuity is creating miraculous health solutions that improve the lives of people all over the world. Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Feb. 2024 The official guidance published this week provides a boost to innovators by reassuring them that their inventions involving AI can be patented, while continuing to enshrine human creativity and ingenuity by establishing basic expectations about how AI could make or break a patent application. Brian Fung, CNN, 14 Feb. 2024 The timeline of stone tool development by humans has been rearranged by new research, shaking up traditional views about the evolution of ancient human ingenuity. Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 7 Feb. 2024 Look for unique ways to approach work, and your peers will acknowledge you for your ingenuity. Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2024 The program continues to be touted for its ingenuity and for the motivations behind its creation. Ryan Anderson, arkansasonline.com, 11 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ingenuity.' 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

circa 1592, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of ingenuity was circa 1592

Dictionary Entries Near ingenuity

Cite this Entry

“Ingenuity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ingenuity. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ingenuity

noun
in·​ge·​nu·​ity
ˌin-jə-ˈn(y)ü-ət-ē
plural ingenuities
1
: skill or cleverness in discovering, inventing, or planning
2
: an ingenious device

More from Merriam-Webster on ingenuity

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