innovate

/ˈɪnəveɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɪnəveɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈi-nə-ˌvāt/ (ame, mw)

innovate — verb

  • innovatepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • innovateshe / she / it
  • innovatedpast simple
  • innovating-ing form

1. to create or introduce new methods, ideas, or products, especially in a delibera

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to create or introduce new methods, ideas, or products, especially in a deliberate way that changes how things are done — for example, a technology company innovating a faster way to process payments, or a restaurant innovating its menu with unusual ingredients.

例句

Rosa's team worked hard to innovate in the crowded smartphone market.

intransitive + in [field/market]

The company's decision to innovate brought fresh energy to the whole industry.

collocation: decision to innovate

同義詞
  • pioneer

    stronger emphasis on being the first to do something; often used as a verb with a direct object ('pioneer a technique')

  • revolutionize

    more dramatic — implies a complete, far-reaching change ('revolutionize an industry')

  • invent

    focuses on creating something entirely new that did not exist before; narrower than innovate

反義詞
  • stagnate

    to stop changing or improving, the opposite of introducing new ideas

  • imitate

    to copy rather than create new things

文法句型

innovate + (no object)

innovate + in + [field/area]

innovate + noun phrase (rare)

用法筆記

Often used without a direct object. A transitive use exists (e.g., 'innovate a new system'), but it is much less common in everyday English. The intransitive pattern — followed by an optional prepositional phrase with 'in' — is the preferred choice for learners.

常見錯誤

❌The company innovated a new app last month.
✅The company launched a new app last month.
💡'innovate' describes the process of creating something new, not the simple act of releasing a finished product.
❌He innovated the machine to fix the problem.
✅He made innovations to the machine to fix the problem.
💡'innovate' is rarely followed by a direct object; 'make innovations to' is a safer, more natural alternative.