flight of ideas: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal/Technical (primarily in psychology/psychiatry); occasionally literary or figurative.
Quick answer
What does “flight of ideas” mean?
A rapid, continuous succession of thoughts and ideas, often loosely connected, jumping quickly from one topic to another.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A rapid, continuous succession of thoughts and ideas, often loosely connected, jumping quickly from one topic to another.
In clinical psychology/psychiatry, a formal thought disorder and symptom of mania or other conditions where thoughts race, and speech becomes rapid, tangential, and difficult to follow. More generally, it describes any rapid, spontaneous, and associative stream of creative or uncontrolled thinking.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in definition. Spelling of related words follows regional conventions (e.g., behaviour/behavior).
Connotations
Identical clinical connotations. In informal figurative use, both regions might use it to describe rapid, excited conversation.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency and specialized in both varieties, confined primarily to professional/medical contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “flight of ideas” in a Sentence
The patient exhibited a flight of ideas.His speech showed a marked flight of ideas.A flight of ideas is a key feature.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “flight of ideas” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (Not standard. Periphrastic use) Her ideas were flighting uncontrollably.
American English
- (Not standard. Periphrastic use) The patient's thoughts seemed to flight from one topic to another.
adverb
British English
- (Not applicable)
American English
- (Not applicable)
adjective
British English
- (Derived) His ideation was flighty and disjointed.
- A flight-of-ideas presentation style.
American English
- (Derived) The flight-of-ideas quality of her speech was noted.
- A flighty thought process.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Possibly in creative strategy meetings: 'The brainstorming session was less a structured plan and more a flight of ideas.'
Academic
Common in psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience papers to describe a specific clinical symptom.
Everyday
Very rare. Used figuratively by educated speakers: 'After three coffees, my conversation was just a flight of ideas.'
Technical
Core term in psychiatric assessment (e.g., DSM/ICD criteria for manic episodes).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “flight of ideas”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “flight of ideas”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “flight of ideas”
- Using it as a positive synonym for 'creativity'. (It is often pathological).
- Confusing with 'flight of fancy' (which is whimsical imagination).
- Using plural verb: 'flights of ideas' is less common.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is primarily a clinical term with negative connotations, indicating a thought disorder. In rare informal use, it can be neutral or mildly positive regarding creativity.
'Racing thoughts' describes the speed and quantity. 'Flight of ideas' specifically describes the observable, rapid shifting between loosely related topics in speech.
It is understood by educated speakers but sounds formal or technical. In everyday talk, phrases like 'jumping all over the place' or 'his mind was racing' are more natural.
No. While distractibility is a feature of ADHD, 'flight of ideas' is a more severe, specific pattern of disorganised thought typically linked to mood episodes like mania, not ADHD alone.
A rapid, continuous succession of thoughts and ideas, often loosely connected, jumping quickly from one topic to another.
Flight of ideas is usually formal/technical (primarily in psychology/psychiatry); occasionally literary or figurative. in register.
Flight of ideas: in British English it is pronounced /ˌflaɪt əv aɪˈdɪəz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌflaɪt əv aɪˈdiəz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “His mind was going a mile a minute (informal equivalent)”
- “Jumping from one thing to the next”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine ideas as birds taking **flight** from a tree, each flying off rapidly in a different, unpredictable direction.
Conceptual Metaphor
THOUGHTS ARE MOVING OBJECTS (rapidly flying away). MIND IS A SPACE (from which ideas depart).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'flight of ideas' used with its most precise technical meaning?