ingenious

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ingenious" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is clever, inventive, or resourceful, often in a positive context. Example: "The engineer came up with an ingenious solution to the problem that saved the company time and money."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

If technology has undermined the established ways in which political surveys can reach a representative mix of the citizenry, it should in time provide a sufficiently ingenious pollster with new ways to do just that.

The Guardian - Opinion

The Shawshank Redemption Sleeper hit The Shawshank Redemption, stars Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne: a banker wrongly jailed for murdering his wife, who spends two decades getting sweet revenge on the corrupt governor, while plotting his own ingenious escape.

The Guardian

Following a cleanup, the activists used salvaged material to build benches, mobile sunshades and other elements of an ingenious, rapidly reconfigurable parliament – and the first question they put before this parliament was how to manage the site itself.

The Guardian

b1fd989a-bcb7-4023-86ba-88a86402c601 THE ingenious gentleman David Bouley has been marching the streets of TriBeCa for more than 25 years.

The New York Times - Food

As with any good caper movie, Soderbergh dwells lovingly on the assembly of the crew and the ingenious mechanics of the robbery itself.

The Guardian

Cardiff gets sold off to a larger company to keep cranking out computers and Cameron has left to form Mutiny, an early version of an online gaming company where the modems are still dial-up and the most ingenious game is a full-colour version of backgammon.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

"We have got round that problem in a very ingenious manner," the mission's principal investigator, Alan Stern, told the Observer.

The Guardian

It enabled the making of ingenious and impressive work by filmmakers such as Andrea Arnold (a welcome addition to a testosterone-fueled industry) and provided a continued funding stream for consistently creative veterans such as Mike Leigh and Ken Loach.

The Guardian

They'd found ingenious uses for digital cameras.

The Guardian - Opinion

Charles Peace, a cat burglar hanged in 1879, is represented not just by his ingenious folding stepladder but by the violin with which he was apparently an excellent performer.

The Guardian

How a literary form which depends on the imagination can be classified as non-fiction I'll never know, but I do know one ingenious school librarian who ignores this and catalogues poetry alongside fiction.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "ingenious" to describe solutions, methods, or inventions that display a high level of creativity and cleverness. For example, "The engineer designed an ingenious system for conserving water."

Common error

Avoid using "ingenious" when a simpler adjective like "clever" or "smart" would suffice. "Ingenious" implies a higher degree of inventiveness and should be reserved for truly remarkable solutions.

Linguistic Context

The word "ingenious" functions primarily as an adjective, modifying nouns to describe something as clever, inventive, or resourceful. Ludwig AI indicates its correct and usable status in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "ingenious" is a commonly used adjective to describe something that is particularly clever, inventive, or resourceful. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and widespread usability in English writing. While suitable for various contexts, it appears most frequently in News & Media, Formal & Business and Science. To avoid overuse, consider alternatives like "clever", "inventive", or "resourceful" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey. Using "ingenious" appropriately highlights exceptional creativity and skill.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

clever

A more general term for quick-wittedness or intelligence.

inventive

Focuses specifically on the ability to create new things or ideas.

resourceful

Highlights the ability to find clever ways to overcome difficulties.

brilliant

Emphasizes exceptional intelligence or skill.

astute

Suggests sharpness of mind and the ability to accurately assess situations.

cunning

Implies cleverness used in a slightly devious or manipulative way.

smart

A simple, general term for intelligence or cleverness.

witty

Highlights cleverness and humor.

imaginative

Emphasizes creativity and the ability to form new ideas or concepts.

adept

Focuses on skillfulness and proficiency.

FAQs

How can I use "ingenious" in a sentence?

Use "ingenious" to describe something that is cleverly designed or exceptionally inventive. For instance, "She devised an ingenious plan to solve the problem".

What words are similar to "ingenious"?

You can use alternatives like "clever", "inventive", or "resourceful" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use "ingenious"?

"Ingenious" is most appropriate when describing something that demonstrates a high degree of originality and cleverness in design or execution. It suggests a level of skill beyond simple competence.

Is "ingenious" a formal or informal word?

"Ingenious" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, although it's more common in writing than in casual conversation. It's a generally positive and complimentary term.