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imagine

verb
imag·​ine | \ i-ˈma-jən How to pronounce imagine (audio) \
imagined; imagining\ i-​ˈmaj-​niŋ How to pronounce imagining (audio) , -​ˈma-​jə-​ \

Definition of imagine

transitive verb

1 : to form a mental image of (something not present) imagine accidents at every turn
2 : suppose, guess I imagine it will rain
3 : to form a notion of without sufficient basis : fancy imagines himself to be a charming conversationalist
4 archaic : plan, scheme

intransitive verb

1 : to use the imagination
2 : believe sense 3
Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about imagine

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Choose the Right Synonym for imagine

think, conceive, imagine, fancy, realize, envisage, envision mean to form an idea of. think implies the entrance of an idea into one's mind with or without deliberate consideration or reflection. I just thought of a good joke conceive suggests the forming and bringing forth and usually developing of an idea, plan, or design. conceived of a new marketing approach imagine stresses a visualization. imagine you're at the beach fancy suggests an imagining often unrestrained by reality but spurred by desires. fancied himself a super athlete realize stresses a grasping of the significance of what is conceived or imagined. realized the enormity of the task ahead envisage and envision imply a conceiving or imagining that is especially clear or detailed. envisaged a totally computerized operation envisioned a cure for the disease

Examples of imagine in a Sentence

a writer who has imagined an entire world of amazing creatures He asked us to imagine a world without poverty or war. It's hard for me to imagine having children. He was imagining all sorts of terrible things happening. “What was that sound? I think there's someone in the house!” “Oh, you're just imagining things.” I imagine it will snow at some point today. It's difficult to imagine that these changes will really be effective. The company will do better next year, I imagine. It was worse than they had imagined.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 And so like, a lot of them cannot imagine something smarter than themselves, but AI will be vastly smarter—vastly. — Wired, "Elon Musk: Humanity Is a Kind of 'Biological Boot Loader' for AI," 1 Sep. 2019 Headhunting based on past offenses, real and imagined, is the norm, indeed one of the Left’s favored forms of ideological combat. — Rich Lowry, National Review, "The New York Times Should Stop Whining," 27 Aug. 2019 How about just imagine your vaunted Michigan defense allowed 62 points to a lame duck, disgraced coach at Ohio State in 2018, and then was embarrassed by a middling Florida team 41-15 in the Peach Bowl. — Joseph Goodman | [email protected], al, "Jim Harbaugh is feeling so confident now that Urban Meyer is gone," 24 Aug. 2019 How did these shows about rural rubes become such a beloved part of imagined American life in the 1960s and beyond? — Sara K. Eskridge, Houston Chronicle, "Why Americans love Mayberry," 19 Aug. 2019 Working to save the lives and to repair the injuries of the victims of mass shootings, emergency room doctors know with immediacy what most of us can only imagine from a distance. — Patty Limerick, The Denver Post, "Limerick: We yearn to help after human tragedies, and there is a way," 16 Aug. 2019 My approach was very straightforward; imagining Ignacio making his first place of nachos while implicitly communicating a sense of fun. — Julia Webster, Time, "Nacho Average Doodle! Google Celebrates Ignacio Anaya García, the Creator of Nachos," 15 Aug. 2019 In 1941 the mathematicians R.J. Duffin and A.C. Schaeffer imagined the following scenario. — Quanta Magazine, "New Proof Settles How to Approximate Numbers Like Pi," 14 Aug. 2019 So imagine my delight when, last year, the Italian caviar company Calvisius hired Russian women to teach its artisans to craft payusnaya from the eggs of nonbanned sturgeon. — Ruth Reichl, Town & Country, "Why Pressed Caviar Should Be Your Next Food Obsession," 8 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'imagine.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of imagine

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

History and Etymology for imagine

Middle English ymagynen, borrowed from Anglo-French ymaginer, borrowed from Latin imāginārī, verbal derivative of imāgin-, imāgō "representation, semblance, image entry 1"

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More Definitions for imagine

imagine

verb
How to pronounce imagine (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of imagine

: to think of or create (something that is not real) in your mind
: to form a picture or idea in your mind of (something that is not real or present)
: to have or form (an idea or opinion that is not accurate or based on reality)

See the full definition for imagine in the English Language Learners Dictionary

imagine

verb
imag·​ine | \ i-ˈma-jən How to pronounce imagine (audio) \
imagined; imagining

Kids Definition of imagine

1 : to form a mental picture of : use the imagination Imagine yourself grown up.
2 : think sense 1 I imagine you're right.

imagine

verb
imag·​ine | \ im-ˈaj-ən

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