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View synonyms for

imagine

[ ih-maj-in ]

verb (used with object)

imagined, imagining.
  1. to form a mental image of (something not actually present to the senses).

    Synonyms: ,

  2. to think, believe, or fancy:

    He imagined the house was haunted.

  3. to assume; suppose:

    I imagine they'll be here soon.

  4. to conjecture; guess:

    I cannot imagine what you mean.

  5. Archaic. to plan, scheme, or plot.


verb (used without object)

imagined, imagining.
  1. to form mental images of things not present to the senses; use the imagination.
  2. to suppose; think; conjecture.

imagine

/ ɪˈæɪ /

verb

  1. when tr, may take a clause as object to form a mental image of
  2. when tr, may take a clause as object to think, believe, or guess
  3. tr; takes a clause as object to suppose; assume

    I imagine he'll come

  4. tr; takes a clause as object to believe or assume without foundation

    he imagines he knows the whole story

  5. an archaic word for plot 1
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

sentence substitute

  1. Alsoimagine that! an exclamation of surprise
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈԲ, adjective
  • ˈԱ, noun
  • ˈԲ, adverb
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Other Word Forms

  • ·i· noun
  • i·iԱ verb (used with object) preimagined preimagining
  • i·iԱ verb (used with object) reimagined reimagining
  • ܲi·iԱ adjective
  • ɱ-·iԱ adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of imagine1

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English imaginen from Middle French imaginer from Latin 岵ī, equivalent to 岵- (stem of 岵ō ) image + -- thematic vowel + infinitive ending
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Word History and Origins

Origin of imagine1

C14: from Latin 岵ī to fancy, picture mentally, from 岵ō likeness; see image
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Synonym Study

Imagine, conceive, conceive of, realize refer to bringing something before the mind. To imagine is, literally, to form a mental image of something: to imagine yourself in London. To conceive is to form something by using one's imagination: How has the author conceived the first act of his play? To conceive of is to comprehend through the intellect something not perceived through the senses: Wilson conceived of a world free from war. To realize is to make an imagined thing real or concrete to oneself, to grasp fully its implications: to realize the extent of one's folly.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“I never would have imagined persons hired to be the safety net and care for the most vulnerable could or would abuse their position and power in this way,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger.

From

"I broke down - I just had to cry. I never imagined that it would come back positive and be for something that was treatable," she says.

From

Could you ever have imagined in the wilder days of your youth that you’d be publishing a bird book?

From

Never mind -- what we imagine space to be, and what we know it is, can both evoke the sublime.

From

The hardest thing in football, as in life, is to look forward and imagine what's next.

From

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More About Imagine

does imagine mean?

To imagine is to form a mental likeness of something or someone not present, as in Imagine flying in a rocket to Mars.

To imagine also means to think of something, especially in a way that it is not currently, as in Imagine what the house might look like after all these years.

To imagine is also to assume, as in Oh dear, the teacher imagined that we all did our homework.

Finally, to imagine can mean to guess, as in Can you imagine what it would be like for it to snow in the summer?

Example: I can’t imagine they will take much longer, so we should just wait here.

Where does imagine come from?

The first records of the term imagine come from the 1300s. It ultimately comes from the Latin 岵ī.

Imagine is sometimes used for describing daydreaming, especially about something that you might find pleasant but probably cannot happen. A famous example of this is John Lennon’s song “Imagine,” which asks the listener to imagine a world without greed, hatred, or suffering. And in his song “God’s Plan,” which is about his belief that everything happens for a reason, Drake sings, “Imagine if I never met the broskis.”

Did you know … ?

are some other forms related to imagine?

are some synonyms for imagine?

are some words that share a root or word element with imagine?

are some words that often get used in discussing imagine?

How is imagine used in real life?

Imagine is commonly used in casual conversations to talk about forming mental images.

Try using imagine!

Is imagine used correctly in the following sentence?

Imagine what it must be like to cross the Shibuya Scramble Crossing.

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