innovate
/ˈɪn.ə.veɪt/To introduce a new idea, method, or product, or to change something existing in a meaningful new way. It is commonly used in business and technology contexts to describe growth and change.
- The startup had to innovate quickly to beat its competitors.
- We innovate by listening closely to what customers need.
- Great companies innovate even when things are going well.
Adinary Nuance
"Innovate" sits close to "invent," "improve," "create," and "disrupt" — but each word carries a different weight. "Invent" means making something entirely new from scratch, while "innovate" means applying fresh thinking to something that already exists. "Improve" is more modest — it just means making something incrementally better — whereas "innovate" implies a bolder, more original shift. "Disrupt" is the most dramatic of the group, suggesting a market-level upheaval; "innovate" can describe smaller but still meaningful changes. In a business sentence, you would say "we innovated our onboarding process" to mean a fresh redesign, not just a minor fix.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- đổi mới
- Spanish
- innovar
- Chinese
- 创新
- Japanese
- 革新する
- Korean
- 혁신하다
Etymology
From Latin "innovare," meaning "to renew or alter," built from "in-" (into) and "novare" (to make new), rooted in "novus" (new). The word entered English in the 16th century, originally meaning to introduce changes, and became especially prominent in business language in the 20th century.
Common phrases
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between 'innovate' and 'invent'?
- 'Invent' means creating something completely new that did not exist before. 'Innovate' means applying new ideas to improve or rethink something that already exists. Most companies innovate; fewer truly invent.
- Can I say 'we innovated a new product'?
- This sounds unnatural to most native speakers. 'Innovate' is almost always intransitive — you 'innovate in an area' or 'innovate by doing something.' A more natural phrasing is 'we launched an innovative product' or 'we innovated our product line.'
- Is 'innovate' formal or informal?
- 'Innovate' is neutral-to-formal. It is very common in business, tech, and academic writing. It sounds professional and is not typically used in casual everyday conversation.
- Is 'innovate' the same as 'improve'?
- Not quite. 'Improve' means making something better in small, gradual steps. 'Innovate' suggests a more significant or original change — introducing something genuinely new, not just refining what is already there.