brainstorm
BRAYN-storm
/ˈbreɪnstɔːrm/
To produce an idea or way of solving a problem by holding a spontaneous group discussion or individual mental session.
Focuses on uninhibited, rapid generation of many options before evaluating them.
The story behind the word. Coined in the mid-20th century by advertising executive Alex Osborn, who described using the brain to 'storm' a creative problem like a commando raid.
Word relationships
- ideate: Ideate is more formal and corporate; brainstorm is conversational and collaborative.
- finalize: Finalize means concluding decisions rather than opening up possibilities.
Commonly confused with
- brainwave: A brainwave is a single sudden good idea; brainstorming is the process of generating many.
Word family
- brainstorming (noun): The activity of generating creative ideas.
Collocations
- brainstorm ideas
- brainstorming session
- brainstorm solutions
Idioms & expressions
- storm of ideas
Example sentences
- "The marketing team gathered around the whiteboard to brainstorm campaign slogans for the launch." Corporate innovation
- "Whenever she felt stuck, she spent ten minutes to brainstorm every ridiculous idea she could imagine." Writer's block solution
Memory hook
A STORM of thoughts inside your BRAIN. Let thoughts rain down during a brain storm.
When not to use
Avoid in extremely formal archaic literary writing; use 'confer' or 'deliberate' instead.
Fun facts
- Alex Osborn introduced the method in his 1942 book 'How to Think Up'.
Explore more words
ideate, ideation, innovate, divergent, collaborate, conceptualize
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