invent
[verb]
Synonyms:
- create, coin, conceive, design, devise, discover, formulate, improvise, originate, think up
- make up, concoct, cook up (informal), fabricate, feign, forge, manufacture, trump up

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Related Words: conceive, envision, imagine, create, mint, produce, turn out, inaugurate, initiate

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English Thesaurus: invent, create, think of something/think up something, come up with something, make something up, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

in‧vent /ɪnˈvent/ verb [transitive]
[Word Family: noun: invention, inventiveness, inventor; verb: invent, reinvent; adverb: inventively; adjective: inventive]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: past participle of invenire 'to come upon, find', from venire 'to come']

1. to make, design, or think of a new type of thing:
Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876.
► Do not confuse with discover (=to be the first person to find something or to know that it exists): Scientists have discovered a new type of bacteria.

2. to think of an idea, story etc that is not true, usually in order to deceive people:
They invented a very convincing alibi.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

invent
verb
PHRASES newly invented using the then newly invented automatic rifle

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

invent
verb
1.
BAD: It will not be long before scientists invent a cure for this terrible disease.
GOOD: It will not be long before scientists discover a cure for this terrible disease.

Usage Note:
invent = create a machine, instrument, system or process which has never existed before: 'Who invented the telephone?' 'The cotton gin was invented by Eli Whitney in 1793.'
discover = find or find out something for the first time: 'Penicillin was discovered almost by accident.' 'I've just discovered a new way of cooking spaghetti.'

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2.
BAD: I'm sure that your host families will invent lots of interesting things for you to do.
GOOD: I'm sure that your host families will think of/up lots of interesting things for you to do.

Usage Note:
think of = produce a plan, idea or suggestion by thinking: 'Can you think of a good birthday present for David?' 'I can't think of any way of avoiding the problem.'
think up (also dream up ) = produce a completely new plan, idea or suggestion by thinking hard about something: 'They've thought up a new advertising campaign.' 'Financial advisers will soon think up new ways for us to evade tax.'

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3.
BAD: The word 'workaholic' was invented in America.
GOOD: The word 'workaholic' was coined in America.

Usage Note:
coin a new word or expression: 'The term 'black hole' was coined in 1969 by the American scientist John Wheeler.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

invent to think of an idea for a new product, machine etc, and design it or make it:
The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell.
Who invented the Internet?
create to make or design something new and original:
We decided to create the software ourselves.
For her latest book, she has created a whole new group of characters.
think of something/think up something to produce a new idea, plan, method, excuse etc by thinking:
I’ve thought of an idea.
They’re always trying to think up new ways to improve efficiency.
come up with something to produce a new idea, a way of dealing with something etc, especially a good one:
How did you come up with that idea?
Ellis came up with the solution to the problem immediately.
make something up to invent a story, song, game, excuse etc:
My mother used to make up bedtime stories for us.
I didn’t want to go to the class, so I decided to make up an excuse.
dream something up to think of an idea or plan, especially one that seems unusual or even crazy:
It can’t be easy dreaming up new advertisements all the time.
I wonder who dreamt up that idea!
devise formal to invent a way of doing something, especially one that is clever or complicated:
This system was devised as a way of measuring students’ progress.
conceive formal to think of a new idea, plan etc and develop it in your mind:
The project was originally conceived by a Dutch businessman two years ago.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲