idea

A thought about something you could do or how you could do it.

• I have an idea for lunch.
• She suggested a clever idea to save money.
• Which of these ideas should we try first?

How to use it: idea for something (Do you have an idea for dinner?); idea of doing something (I like the idea of sharing an office.)

Similar words: plan, thought, suggestion

Common phrases: good idea, idea for something, have an idea, idea to try

A belief or opinion about what something is like or how it should be.

• Our ideas about work are different.
• Travel changed his ideas on education.
• She has strong ideas about how families should live.

How to use it: ideas about/on something (They have different ideas about raising children.)

Similar words: view, opinion, belief

Common phrases: idea about something, idea of something, different idea

Something you can think about, such as freedom or love, rather than something you can touch.

• Freedom is an important idea.
• The book explores ideas about beauty and truth.
• Can an abstract idea change the world?

How to use it: idea of something (The idea of equality matters to many people.)

Similar words: concept, notion

Common phrases: abstract idea, idea of freedom, idea of justice

What you are trying to achieve by doing something.

• The idea is to save time.
• What’s the idea behind this new rule?
• We changed the route, but the basic idea stayed the same.

How to use it: the idea is to do something (The idea is to make shopping easier.); idea behind something (The idea behind the scheme is to reduce waste.)

Similar words: aim, purpose, intention

Common phrases: idea is to, idea behind something, whole idea

A picture of someone or something that you have in your mind.

• I have a clear idea of her face.
• The description gave me an idea of the room’s appearance.
• His idea of the garden was brighter than the real thing.

How to use it: idea of what someone/something looks like (I have a vague idea of what the house looks like.)

Similar words: mental image, picture, image

Common phrases: idea of someone, clear idea, vague idea