Create vs. Invent: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
"Create" involves producing something new or original, often artistic, while "invent" refers to designing or devising something innovative, typically with a practical or technological aspect.
Key Differences
"Create" generally means to bring something into existence, often with a focus on art, ideas, or general concepts. "Invent," however, specifically implies the creation of something novel, especially in the fields of science and technology.
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When one creates, they may be engaging in an artistic or imaginative process, such as writing a story or painting a picture. Inventing, by contrast, involves a process of conceptualizing and constructing something that has not existed before, like a new gadget or process.
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Creation can be abstract, involving ideas, designs, or plans, and doesn't necessarily result in a tangible product. Invention is typically more concrete, resulting in a physical or definitive outcome, such as a patented invention or a technological innovation.
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The act of creating is often associated with self-expression and exploration, whereas inventing is closely tied to problem-solving and practical application.
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"Create" can also imply making something from existing materials or ideas, whereas "invent" suggests a higher degree of originality and novelty, often involving a new method or idea that didn’t previously exist.
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Comparison Chart
Nature
Can be abstract or tangible
Typically results in a tangible, novel product
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Associated with
Art, literature, general ideation
Science, technology, practical applications
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Degree of Originality
Can involve reinterpreting existing materials
Requires originality and innovation
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Create and Invent Definitions
Create
To bring a new concept or idea into existence.
The writer aimed to create a unique fantasy world.
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Invent
To create something original through innovative thinking.
He invented a new language for his fantasy novel.
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Create
To produce something artistic or imaginative.
She loves to create beautiful paintings.
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Invent
To design a new device, process, or method.
She invented a new app to simplify online shopping.
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Create
To design or make something from various elements.
He used recycled materials to create a sculpture.
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Invent
To devise a solution to a problem.
They invented a new technique to clean up ocean plastics.
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Create
To originate or give rise to something.
The chef aimed to create a new culinary trend.
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Invent
To originate something never before seen or used.
The scientist invented a groundbreaking medical device.
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Create
To construct or form something.
They worked together to create a community garden.
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Invent
To produce or contrive (something previously unknown) by the use of ingenuity or imagination.
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Invent
To design a new process or mechanism.
After weeks of hard work, I invented a new way to alphabetize matchbooks.
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Create
To produce through artistic or imaginative effort
Create a poem.
Create a dramatic role.
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Invent
To create something fictional for a particular purpose.
I knew I had to invent an excuse, and quickly.
We need a name to put in this form, so let's just invent one.
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Invent
To come or light upon; to meet; to find.
And vowed never to return again,Till him alive or dead she did invent.
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Create
(transitive) To bring into existence; (sometimes in particular:)
You can create the color orange by mixing yellow and red.
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Invent
To discover, as by study or inquiry; to find out; to devise; to contrive or produce for the first time; - applied commonly to the discovery of some serviceable mode, instrument, or machine.
Thus first Necessity invented stools.
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Create
To bring into existence out of nothing, without the prior existence of the materials or elements used.
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Invent
To frame by the imagination; to fabricate mentally; to forge; - in a good or a bad sense; as, to invent the machinery of a poem; to invent a falsehood.
Whate'er his cruel malice could invent.
He had invented some circumstances, and put the worst possible construction on others.
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Create
To make or produce from other (e.g. raw, unrefined or scattered) materials or combinable elements or ideas; to design or invest with a new form, shape, function, etc.
Couturiers create exclusive garments for an affluent clientele.
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Invent
Come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or priciple) after a mental effort;
Excogitate a way to measure the speed of light
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Create
(transitive) To cause, to bring (a non-object) about by an action, behavior, or event, to occasion.
Crop failures created food shortages and high prices; his stubbornness created many difficulties
A sudden chemical spill on the highway created a chain‐collision which created a record traffic jam.
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Create
(transitive) To confer or invest with a rank or title of nobility, to appoint, ordain or constitute.
Henry VIII created him a Duke.
Last month, the queen created two barons.
Under the concordate with Belgium, at least one Belgian clergyman must be created cardinal; by tradition, every archbishop of Mechelen is thus created a cardinal.
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Invent
To develop a new technology or product.
The company invented a more efficient solar panel.
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Create
(intransitive) To be or do something creative, imaginative, originative.
Children usually enjoy creating, never mind if it is of any use!
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Create
(transitive) In theatre, to be the first performer of a role; to originate a character.
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Create
To bring into being; to form out of nothing; to cause to exist.
In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.
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Create
To effect by the agency, and under the laws, of causation; to be the occasion of; to cause; to produce; to form or fashion; to renew.
Your eye in ScotlandWould create soldiers.
Create in me a clean heart.
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Create
To invest with a new form, office, or character; to constitute; to appoint; to make; as, to create one a peer.
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Create
Make or cause to be or to become;
Make a mess in one's office
Create a furor
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Create
Bring into existence;
The company was created 25 years ago
He created a new movement in painting
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Create
Pursue a creative activity; be engaged in a creative activity;
Don't disturb him--he is creating
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Create
Create by artistic means;
Create a poem
Schoenberg created twelve-tone music
Picasso created Cubism
Auden made verses
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Create
Create or manufacture a man-made product;
We produce more cars than we can sell
The company has been making toys for two centuries
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
Do artists create or invent?
Artists typically create, though they can invent new techniques.
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Does "create" imply making something from scratch?
Not necessarily; it can involve assembling or reinterpreting existing elements.
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Can "invent" apply to theoretical concepts?
Yes, if they present innovative ideas or methods.
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Can "create" refer to physical objects?
Yes, one can create both tangible and intangible things.
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Is "invent" only for scientific creations?
While often scientific, it can apply to any novel creation.
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Is writing a book creating or inventing?
It's creating, as it involves artistic expression.
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Is music composition creating or inventing?
It's creating, as it's an artistic process.
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Can inventions be artistic?
Yes, some inventions combine artistic elements with innovation.
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Can "create" apply to digital works?
Yes, one can create digital art, software, or content.
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Can "create" involve collaboration?
Yes, creation can be a collaborative process.
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Does "create" always involve originality?
Originality is common in creation, but not always necessary.
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Is inventing always a complex process?
It can be complex, but simple inventions also exist.
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Is every new product an invention?
Not necessarily; some are variations or improvements of existing products.
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Do inventors always create physical products?
Mostly, but they can also invent processes or systems.
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Is cooking considered creating or inventing?
Usually creating, but inventing if it involves new techniques or recipes.
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Do inventions always solve problems?
Typically, inventions are aimed at solving specific problems or improving situations.
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Can one create without any tools or materials?
Yes, one can create intangibly, like in storytelling or music.
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Can one create by accident?
Yes, sometimes creation occurs spontaneously or unintentionally.
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Do you need a patent to invent something?
A patent is for legally protecting an invention, not a requirement to invent.
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Are all inventors also creators?
In a sense, yes, as inventing is a form of creating.
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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