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as in novelties
notions plural small useful items the fabric store had a wide variety of thread, pins, buttons, and other notions

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in concept
an idea or statement about all of the members of a group or all the instances of a situation the popular notion that college athletes are airheads

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun notion contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of notion are conception, concept, idea, impression, and thought. While all these words mean "what exists in the mind as a representation (as of something comprehended) or as a formulation (as of a plan)," notion suggests an idea not much resolved by analysis or reflection and may suggest the capricious or accidental.

you have the oddest notions

When is concept a more appropriate choice than notion?

The words concept and notion can be used in similar contexts, but concept may apply to the idea formed by consideration of instances of a species or genus or, more broadly, to any idea of what a thing ought to be.

a society with no concept of private property

How do conception and concept relate to one another, in the sense of notion?

Conception is often interchangeable with concept; it may stress the process of imagining or formulating rather than the result.

our changing conception of what constitutes art

When might idea be a better fit than notion?

While in some cases nearly identical to notion, idea may apply to a mental image or formulation of something seen or known or imagined, to a pure abstraction, or to something assumed or vaguely sensed.

innovative ideas
my idea of paradise

Where would impression be a reasonable alternative to notion?

The words impression and notion are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, impression applies to an idea or notion resulting immediately from some stimulation of the senses.

the first impression is of soaring height

When can thought be used instead of notion?

In some situations, the words thought and notion are roughly equivalent. However, thought is likely to suggest the result of reflecting, reasoning, or meditating rather than of imagining.

commit your thoughts to paper

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of notion In the wake of Operation Midnight Hammer, the notion that Trump’s support within the Republican Party is contingent on the support of a loud but narrow ... Noah Rothman, National Review, 10 July 2025 Yaa Boakye, a dietitian based in Illinois, echoed the notion of the healing powers of fruits and vegetables. Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 10 July 2025 Of late, in a rare instance of going further than the right-wing Project 2025 itself, Trump has been testing out the notion of kicking U.S. citizens, naturalized and born here, out of the country too. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 7 July 2025 The 10-round cruiserweight affair ended in Paul’s sixth consecutive victory but did little to quell the notion that the YouTuber-turned-boxer is building his in-ring reputation with a fraudulent resume built on defeating big names many years removed from their heydays. Mark Puleo, New York Times, 28 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for notion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for notion
Noun
  • Only 24% of voters today recognize that their future benefits are subject to the whims of Congress and the president.
    Scott Rasmussen, Boston Herald, 6 July 2025
  • There are only six seats and two nightly seatings Thursday to Saturday for tasting menus that are dictated by the seasons and the whims of the chef.
    Jennifer Kester, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
Noun
  • Grow by leaving awesome LinkedIn comments Identify your strongest beliefs Your commenting strategy needs a theme.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • While Combs' reputation might precede him in the eyes of some potential jurors, to be seated on the final jury, individuals need to vow to set those beliefs aside.
    Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • The most transformative ideas often come from the edges—from employees closest to the customer, to the problem, to the reality.
    Alex Goryachev, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
  • One of the first in the now exceedingly popular date night genre, this nifty book has 50 date ideas to keep things interesting for you and your boo.
    WIRED, Wired News, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • The news division is, like its counterparts, experimenting with a bevy of concepts to see which ones strike a chord with the younger viewers who use streaming as their primary means of watching video.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 14 July 2025
  • One of the biggest challenges Pavone faced after launching was educating the consumer around this new concept.
    Yola Robert, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Noun
  • Some people have very strong opinions on this topic.
    Cody Godwin, USA Today, 8 July 2025
  • Were those changes enough to sway her opinion on the issue?
    Daniel Bice, jsonline.com, 8 July 2025
Noun
  • Another concerning aspect of AI's influence on our freedom of thought is its capacity to distort memory and perception.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • Even the people in my life, letting that dumb thought go, has opened so many more doors for me.
    Michael Saponara, Billboard, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • The musical uses all the key plot points while editing out a handful of outdated stereotypes.
    Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 13 July 2025
  • Don't rely on impressions based on old stereotypes.
    Scott White, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • Nichols’s insecurities came to mind while reading Leslie’s analysis of Lennon and McCartney.
    John Tamny, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • Tangerine flames swirled as Gerry Ward sat fireside, deep in thought, with campfire crackles and wafts of ember taking his mind far beyond the Scottish Highland surroundings.
    Stephanie Vermillion, Outside Online, 1 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Notion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/notion. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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