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ingenious

adjective
in·​ge·​nious | \ in-ˈjÄ“n-yÉ™s How to pronounce ingenious (audio) \

Definition of ingenious

1 : having or showing an unusual aptitude for discovering, inventing, or contriving an ingenious detective
2 : marked by originality, resourcefulness, and cleverness in conception or execution an ingenious contraption
3 obsolete : showing or calling for intelligence, aptitude, or discernment
Other Words from ingenious Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about ingenious

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Other Words from ingenious

ingeniously adverb
ingeniousness noun

Choose the Right Synonym for ingenious

clever, adroit, cunning, ingenious mean having or showing practical wit or skill in contriving. clever stresses physical or mental quickness, deftness, or great aptitude. a person clever with horses adroit often implies a skillful use of expedients to achieve one's purpose in spite of difficulties. an adroit negotiator cunning implies great skill in constructing or creating. a filmmaker cunning in his use of special effects ingenious suggests the power of inventing or discovering a new way of accomplishing something. an ingenious software engineer

Examples of ingenious in a Sentence

How many dog-size bathrobes (an ingenious device) are out there? — David Colman, Vogue, April 2001 … spacecraft engineers tried to come up with ways to "unstick" the antenna. Those attempts failed, but by ingenious software and mission-sequencing techniques … the Galileo mission was still able to fulfill nearly all of its scientific requirements and return a rich quantity of scientific data … — Louis Friedman et al., Encyclopedia of the Solar System, 1999 … an ingenious method of checking errors … — W. David Gardner, Datamation, June 1982 The book has an ingenious plot. She was ingenious at finding ways to work more quickly. It was ingenious of him to arrange the schedule so precisely.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 More Stories Scafaria’s ingenious script first lays out the basics of the world, as Destiny tries to establish herself at a strip club dominated by Ramona and flooded with dollar-bill-waving finance goons. — David Sims, The Atlantic, "Jennifer Lopez Is Utterly Mesmerizing in Hustlers," 11 Sep. 2019 Finally, there is the ingenious Organ-on-a-Chip, which was designed by Ingber and his postdoctoral fellow Dongeun Huh in 2009. — Wendy Moonan, Smithsonian, "How Biology Inspires Future Technology," 27 Aug. 2019 Emily comes up with an ingenious plan to buy out her sister’s shares and hold an online holiday ice cream flavor contest that goes viral with the help of a key ingredient, Charlie’s amazing apple pie. — Dan Snierson, EW.com, "Here's when all 28 new Lifetime Christmas movies will air," 22 Aug. 2019 Someone's ingenious solutions could quickly put your concerns to rest, so listen carefully and consider implementing their suggestions. — Tribune Content Agency, oregonlive.com, "Horoscope for Aug. 15, 2019: Aquarius, key relationships require thought; Virgo, words have weight," 15 Aug. 2019 But the party is pretty unpopular right now, so the Moscow United Russia candidates came up with an ingenious plan to run as independents in the city council instead. — Jen Kirby, Vox, "The pro-democracy protests rocking Moscow, explained," 13 Aug. 2019 Under $10: This ingenious fat separator (Photo: OXO) Need to cut the fat from your latest kitchen concoction? — Shayna Murphy, USA TODAY, "The 5 best Amazon deals you can get this Wednesday," 7 Aug. 2019 But thanks to two professors' ingenious creation, a small section of it is bringing joy to people on both sides. — Drew Kann, CNN, "Seesaws, a priceless ring and an incredible science fair project," 3 Aug. 2019 There are a few ingenious items available in the line: The disposable postpartum underwear is latex-free, sturdy, more comfortable than its mesh counterpart, and stretchy enough to fit everything else that has to go in it. — Marisa Lascala, Good Housekeeping, "Postpartum Underwear Just Got a Huge Upgrade With Frida Mom's New Post-Birth Recovery Line," 31 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ingenious.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of ingenious

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

History and Etymology for ingenious

Middle English ingenyous, from Middle French ingenieus, from Latin ingeniosus, from ingenium natural capacity — more at engine

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More Definitions for ingenious

ingenious

adjective
How to pronounce ingenious (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of ingenious

: very smart or clever : having or showing ingenuity

See the full definition for ingenious in the English Language Learners Dictionary

ingenious

adjective
in·​ge·​nious | \ in-ˈjÄ“n-yÉ™s How to pronounce ingenious (audio) \

Kids Definition of ingenious

: showing ingenuity : clever an ingenious idea

Other Words from ingenious

ingeniously adverb

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More from Merriam-Webster on ingenious

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for ingenious

Spanish Central: Translation of ingenious

Nglish: Translation of ingenious for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of ingenious for Arabic Speakers

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