notion

notion — noun

1. a belief, opinion, or understanding that someone holds about what something is l

1.nounB1
Definition

a belief, opinion, or understanding that someone holds about what something is like, what is true, or how things should work

Example

Darius has a romantic notion that true love conquers every obstacle in life.

notion + that-clause for expressing a belief

Shanti dismissed the notion that working longer hours always leads to greater success.

Common collocations
  • preconceived notion
  • romantic notion
  • popular notion
  • traditional notion
  • reject the notion
  • support the notion
Synonyms
  • idea

    more general and neutral; 'notion' often implies a less fully formed or more personal belief

  • concept

    more abstract and technical; used in academic or philosophical contexts

  • belief

    stronger conviction; less tentative than 'notion'

  • opinion

    a personal view on a specific matter; less broad than 'notion'

Antonyms
  • fact

    something known to be true, not merely believed

Grammar Patterns

notion + that-clause

notion + of + (someone) + doing something

Usage Note

Frequently followed by a that-clause expressing the content of the belief, or by of + a noun or gerund describing the subject of the belief.

Common Mistakes

Darius has a notion about that true love conquers everything.
Darius has a notion that true love conquers everything.
After 'notion', use a that-clause directly, not 'about that'.

2. a vague feeling, impression, or half-formed belief that something is true or lik

2.nounB2
Definition

a vague feeling, impression, or half-formed belief that something is true or likely, even though you have little or no evidence to support it

Example

Tamar had a vague notion that someone was following her through the crowded market.

have a vague notion + that-clause

The librarian had a notion that the missing book was still somewhere in the building.

Common collocations
  • vague notion
  • faint notion
  • nagging notion
  • growing notion
  • have a notion
  • shake a notion
Synonyms
  • hunch

    more informal and intuitive; a gut feeling based on instinct

  • inkling

    even vaguer than 'notion'; a slight suspicion or hint

  • suspicion

    implies distrust or belief that something negative may be true

Antonyms
  • certainty

    complete confidence, the opposite of a vague feeling

Grammar Patterns

have a notion + that-clause

vague notion + of + noun

Usage Note

Weaker and more tentative than sense 1 (IDEA). The 'notion' here is based on instinct or impression rather than reasoned thought. Common modifiers include 'vague', 'faint', 'nagging', and 'growing'.

Common Mistakes

Tamar had notion her friend was upset.
Tamar had a notion that her friend was upset.
'Notion' in this sense requires the indefinite article 'a' and is usually followed by 'that'.

3. small sewing supplies such as needles, thread, buttons, zippers, and pins; also

3.nounC1
Definition

small sewing supplies such as needles, thread, buttons, zippers, and pins; also refers to the section of a store where these items are sold

Example

Isabela bought buttons, zippers, and other notions from the craft shop on Main Street.

plural: notions for sewing supplies

The fabric store on Grand Avenue has a large notions section near the back wall.

Common collocations
  • notions department
  • notions section
  • notions aisle
  • sewing notions
  • basic notions
  • buy notions
Synonyms
  • haberdashery

    British English equivalent for sewing supplies and the shop section that sells them

  • sundries

    broader term for miscellaneous small items, not limited to sewing

Grammar Patterns

plural: notions

attributive: notions department / notions counter

Usage Note

Always used in the plural form 'notions' in this sense. In American English, a 'notions department' is a standard section of a fabric store or large department store. In British English, 'haberdashery' is the more common term.

Common Mistakes

I bought a notion from the sewing shop.
I bought some notions from the sewing shop.
This sense of 'notion' is always plural.

4. a sudden wish, fancy, or impulsive decision to do something, often without a rat

4.nounC1
Definition

a sudden wish, fancy, or impulsive decision to do something, often without a rational or practical reason

Example

Andrei took a sudden notion to cycle across the country during his summer break.

take a notion + to-infinitive for an impulsive decision

Élise had a notion to redecorate the living room at midnight with no clear plan.

Common collocations
  • take a notion
  • have a notion
  • sudden notion
  • foolish notion
  • act on a notion
  • dismiss a notion
Synonyms
  • whim

    more common and slightly less formal; a sudden personal decision without reason

  • caprice

    more formal and literary; emphasizes sudden, unexplainable change of mind

  • fancy

    softer and more playful; a mild, passing wish

Antonyms
  • plan

    a carefully thought-out intention, not impulsive

Grammar Patterns

take/have a notion + to-infinitive

sudden notion + to-infinitive

Usage Note

Often carries a slightly negative or dismissive tone, implying the idea is impractical or not well thought through. Frequently appears in the patterns 'take a notion to [verb]' or 'have a notion to [verb]', especially in formal or literary writing.

Common Mistakes

Andrei took the notion of cycling across the country.
Andrei took a sudden notion to cycle across the country.
The pattern is 'take a notion to [verb]', not 'take the notion of [verb-ing]'.

Word family

  • notional
    adjectiveC1
  • notionally
    adverbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words relate to what someone thinks, but they differ in strength, scope, and formality. 'Idea' is the broadest and most neutral term — it can refer to anything from a passing thought to a detailed plan ('She had an idea for a new app'). 'Concept' is more abstract and structured, often used in academic or technical contexts ('the concept of gravity'). 'Belief' implies stronger conviction and is often tied to values or religion ('his belief in equality'). 'Opinion' is a personal view on a specific matter and can be debated ('in my opinion, the movie was too long'). 'Notion' sits between 'idea' and 'belief' — it suggests a less fully formed, more personal understanding ('her romantic notion of marriage'). Use 'notion' when the thought feels more like a general impression than a concrete plan.

idea ↗concept ↗belief ↗opinion ↗notion ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • preconceived notion
  • romantic notion
  • popular notion
  • traditional notion
  • vague notion

Adverbs

Phrases

  • have a notion
  • reject the notion
  • support the notion
  • dismiss the notion
  • challenge the notion

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'notion' entered English in the late 14th century from Latin 'notionem' (meaning 'concept, idea, knowledge'), which comes from 'noscere' ('to know'). It passed through Old French 'nocioun' before arriving in English. The original sense was simply 'an idea or concept in the mind', and the specific sewing sense developed later in American English in the early 1800s.