innovate

verb

in·​no·​vate ˈi-nə-ˌvāt How to pronounce innovate (audio)
innovated; innovating

intransitive verb

: to make changes : do something in a new way

transitive verb

1
: to introduce as or as if new
2
archaic : to effect a change in
The dictates of my father were … not to be altered, innovated, or even discussed …Sir Walter Scott
innovator noun
innovatory
ˈi-nə-və-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce innovate (audio)
ˈi-nə-ˌvā-tə-rē
adjective

Examples of innovate in a Sentence

The company plans to continue innovating and experimenting. The company innovated a new operating system.
Recent Examples on the Web In addition to giving users more choice, app developers will also gain more opportunities to to innovate, increasing competition, says Schwab. Morgan Meaker, WIRED, 8 Mar. 2024 To stay ahead, companies should innovate by customizing their AI solutions to fit their unique needs. Stoyan Mitov, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Sure mental health is a hard place to innovate, but no field needs it more. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2024 Yet, companies continue to innovate and offer a wide variety of products to Michigan consumers. Detroit Free Press, 29 Feb. 2024 Luttwak and Shamir chalk up the success of the Israel Defense Forces to its ability to innovate, explained not only by operating in an environment of constant peril but also by its relaxed culture and streamlined structure. Shashank Joshi, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 In the Middle East, energy and natural resources organizations wanted ways to innovate without hiring and training more people. Ram Chakravarti, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 The biggest beneficiaries are the customers that bank big productivity gains from advances in software or online advertising algorithms, and the sectors’ enduring champs are the players that keep innovating so that their products help customers work faster, better and cheaper. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2024 But as energy costs rose in the 1990s and early 2000s, so did the impetus to innovate. Popular Science, 21 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Latin innovatus, past participle of innovare, from in- + novus new — more at new

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of innovate was in 1548

Dictionary Entries Near innovate

Cite this Entry

“Innovate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/innovate. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

innovate

verb
in·​no·​vate ˈin-ə-ˌvāt How to pronounce innovate (audio)
innovated; innovating
: to introduce something new
innovate a new website
: do something in a new way
innovative
-ˌvāt-iv
adjective
innovator noun

More from Merriam-Webster on innovate

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