brainstorm ideas

Meaning

This phrase means to gather a group of people, or work individually, to quickly produce a large number of creative thoughts, solutions, or suggestions. It is commonly used in academic and professional settings at the beginning of a project or essay. The tone is collaborative, creative, and informal yet productive.

Examples

• Before we start writing the research paper, let's sit down and brainstorm ideas for the topic.

  Before we start writing the research paper, let's sit down and brainstorm ideas for the topic.

• The professor asked us to get into groups of four to brainstorm ideas for our final project.

  The professor asked us to get into groups of four to brainstorm ideas for our final project.

• I usually use a whiteboard to brainstorm ideas when I'm stuck on a difficult essay prompt.

  I usually use a whiteboard to brainstorm ideas when I'm stuck on a difficult essay prompt.

• We need to brainstorm ideas on how to increase student participation in the upcoming campus elections.

  We need to brainstorm ideas on how to increase student participation in the upcoming campus elections.

• She spent the weekend trying to brainstorm ideas for her master's thesis but couldn't decide on one.

  She spent the weekend trying to brainstorm ideas for her master's thesis but couldn't decide on one.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ We need to storm our brains for the project.

  ✓ We need to brainstorm ideas for the project.

  'Brainstorm' is a single compound verb. You cannot literally translate it as 'storm our brains'.

• ✗ Let's make a brainstorm of ideas.

  ✓ Let's brainstorm some ideas.

  While 'brainstorm' can be a noun, it is much more naturally used as a verb ('to brainstorm ideas') rather than 'make a brainstorm of'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Let's meet up at the library to ___ for our group presentation.

  💡 Think of a phrase meaning to generate creative thoughts together.

  Show answer

  brainstorm ideas

• I need to ___ for my next essay because I have writer's block.

  💡 To generate creative options before writing.

  Show answer

  brainstorm ideas