imagine

American  

[ih-maj-in] / ɪˈmædʒ ɪn /

verb (used with object)

imagined, imagining

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

   Synonyms:

   picture, image

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.

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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 British  

/ ɪˈmædʒɪn /

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

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1. Also: imagine that!.  an exclamation of surprise

Usage

What 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.

Related Words

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.

Other Word Forms

• imaginable adjective
• imaginably adverb
• imaginer noun
• preimagine verb (used with object)
• reimagine verb (used with object)
• unimagined adjective
• well-imagined adjective

Etymology

Origin of imagine

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English imaginen from Middle French imaginer from Latin imāginārī, equivalent to imāgin- (stem of imāgō ) image + -ā- thematic vowel + -rī infinitive ending

Example Sentences

After they leave, I imagine little Miriam years from now, trying to remember me, her cousin who left.

From Literature

Extending their arms in a v-formation at their side, they would race down the street on weekend afternoons imagining the freedom of the airplanes soaring across the blue infinity of their Huntington Park neighborhood.

From Los Angeles Times

Speaking in October, Kane said he could "definitely imagine" extending his stay in Germany.

From Barron's

He imagined every likely reaction by Doc and Jackson, none of them good.

From Literature

These spins, which can be imagined as tiny compass needles, could then be measured more precisely than if each atom behaved independently without entanglement.

From Science Daily