notion

American  

[noh-shuhn] / ˈnoʊ ʃən /

noun

• notions
  plural

1. a general understanding; vague or imperfect conception or idea of something.

   a notion of how something should be done.

2. an opinion, view, or belief.

   That's his notion, not mine.

3. conception or idea.

   his notion of democracy.

4. a fanciful or foolish idea; whim.

   She had a notion to swim in the winter.

5. an ingenious article, device, or contrivance; knickknack.

6. notions, small articles, as buttons, thread, ribbon, and other personal items, especially such items displayed together for sale, as in a department store.

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notion British  

/ ˈnəʊʃən /

noun

1. a vague idea; impression

2. an idea, concept, or opinion

3. an inclination or whim

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Usage

What are other ways to say notion? A notion is a vague or imperfect idea or a general understanding of something. How is it different from thought, conception, and idea? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• notionless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• notions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of notion

First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin nōtiōn- (stem of nōtiō ) “examination, idea,” equivalent to (g)nōt(us), past participle of (g)nōscere “to come to know” + -iōn- suffix forming nouns; see notify, -ion

Explanation

If you have a notion that you can swim across the ocean, you are probably wrong. A notion is an idea, often vague and sometimes fanciful. A notion is lighter than a theory and embraces a whimsy that a simple idea never could. You might have the notion that you can slow global warming by taking public transportation and reusing plastic bags. If you share a far-fetched idea with others, someone might respond with a "Where'd you get that notion?!" Notions can also refer to the buttons, thread, zippers, and pins necessary for sewing things. So if you have a notion to create your own Halloween costume, you better pick up some notions from the craft store.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

notion notions

After Trailseeker, the notion of an electric Subaru still seems a little hazy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

Huang has previously said the notion that AI "is going to be the end of humanity" is "complete nonsense".

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

The Peasant’s Revolt of 1381 is a fascinating moment because it’s a time when the notion of democracy wasn’t even a twinkle in a feudal servant’s eye.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

Celebrating the "historic" pact on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump and Venezuelan interim leader Delcy Rodriguez both sidelined the notion of elections in the near future.

From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026

Another popular belief among scientists has been the notion that the crew may have chosen to stay beneath the surface until the ships that came to the Housatonic’s aid left the scene.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler

But that didn’t prevent these notions from taking root on social media or networks like Hulu.

From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2026

Pacific security researcher Maima Koro said typical notions of give-and-take diplomacy missed the point.

From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026

Edmonds and Frahm ask: "What and who determined a king's 'canonicity'? How did this intersect with Assyrian cultural memory or notions of kingship? Was the AKL's function at all practical, or solely ceremonial?"

From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026

So I had all these giddy, kind of rose-tinted romantic notions of what I was doing until I was knee-deep in fiberglass, going, “Why did I think this was a good idea?”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

“He responded, rather vaguely, with some small notions about highspeed rotating mirrors, chopping the tails off quanta and other single-shot ideas,” Tuve would recall.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• approach
• assumption
• concept
• conception
• image
• impression
• knowledge
• opinion
• perception
• sentiment
• suggestion
• thought
• understanding
• view