a good notion

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a good notion" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when expressing a positive idea or suggestion that is considered valuable or worthwhile. Example: "I think having regular team meetings is a good notion to improve communication among us."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

Wild garlic butter is a good notion, too.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

And McGwire had to have had a good notion of what he was doing.

The New York Times - Sports

We believe that getting a good notion of blameworthiness in a group setting will be critical for designing autonomous agents that behave in a moral manner.

Cornell University

What? Having an "auto-replace" filter seemed like a good notion at the time to folks at the conservative American Family Association's OneNewsNow.com Web site.

The Washington Post

I think that's a good notion to end on, since Rockefeller Center is still the skyscraper grouping that every complex aspires to equal.

The New Yorker

Salaries are one of the few bits of government spending where the public has a good notion of what constitutes value for money, he thinks.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

Also, speaking negatively turns the conversation from something light-hearted and enjoyable to something awkward, uncomfortable, and possibly a little heated, which eliminates the possibility for that "I just have a good feeling about him" notion we just spoke about.

Yale University

That is, that we should first gather together those tokens that are phonetically (and perhaps semantically) identical on the grounds that this is a perfectly good notion of a word.

SEP

"If you're going to be a big player and you're going to give money to a challenger, you better have a fairly good notion that person is going to win," Green said.

Huffington Post

If the man was there, he was undoubtedly gazing intently toward Cap Tourmente, for he expected the plane to blow up and had a pretty good notion when and where this would happen.

The New Yorker

At Tate St Ives until 25 September Twombly and Poussin You can get a very good notion of why the late American painter mattered so much in this excellent selection of mostly smaller works by him.

The Guardian - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a good notion" when you want to express that an idea or plan is promising and worthy of consideration. It's suitable for various contexts, from informal discussions to more formal writing.

Common error

While "a good notion" is generally acceptable, avoid overusing it in highly formal or academic writing. Opt for more precise and sophisticated alternatives like "a sound principle" or "a viable strategy" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a good notion" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where the adjective "good" modifies the noun "notion". As shown by Ludwig, the phrase identifies and characterizes a concept or idea in a positive light. The word “notion” itself suggests an abstract or preliminary idea.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Science

33%

Academia

17%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a good notion" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase for expressing approval of an idea or plan. As highlighted by Ludwig, the phrase appears across diverse fields such as news, science, and academia and is deemed suitable for neutral writing contexts. While versatile, remember to adapt your wording to the formality of the setting. Alternatives like "a sound plan" or "a valid suggestion" can be used depending on the specific nuances you want to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a fine idea

Uses "fine" instead of "good", suggesting a slightly more sophisticated tone.

a sound plan

Replaces "notion" with "plan", implying a more concrete and actionable idea.

a solid concept

Substitutes "notion" with "concept", conveying a well-developed idea.

a valid suggestion

Emphasizes the practicality and usefulness of the idea.

a promising approach

Highlights the potential for success associated with the idea.

a worthwhile consideration

Suggests that the idea is worthy of thought and attention.

a clever scheme

Implies that the idea is particularly intelligent and resourceful.

an excellent proposition

Conveys a strong endorsement of the idea, indicating its high quality.

a brilliant concept

Uses “brilliant” instead of “good”, suggesting a high-level of inventiveness and innovation

a smart proposal

Emphasizes the intelligence and strategic thinking behind the idea.

FAQs

How can I use "a good notion" in a sentence?

You can use "a good notion" to describe an idea or plan that is considered positive or promising. For example, "Implementing flexible work hours seems like "a good notion" to improve employee satisfaction."

What are some alternatives to "a good notion"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "a sound plan", "a solid concept", or "a valid suggestion".

Is "a good notion" suitable for formal writing?

While generally acceptable, "a good notion" might be less suitable for highly formal or academic contexts. Consider more precise alternatives like "a sound principle" or "a viable strategy" in those situations.

What's the difference between "a good notion" and "a good idea"?

While similar, "a good notion" often implies a preliminary or somewhat abstract idea, whereas "a good idea" might suggest something more developed or concrete. Both, however, convey a positive assessment of the concept.