verb
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to form a mental image of; visualize; contemplate
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to conceive of as a possibility in the future; foresee
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archaic to look in the face of; confront
Usage
It was formerly considered incorrect to use a clause after envisage as in it is envisaged that the new centre will cost £40 million , but this use is now acceptable
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of envisage
From the French word envisager, dating back to 1810–20. See en- 1, visage
Compare meaning
How does envisage compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Martin Luther King Jr. envisaged a time when black and white Americans would no longer be segregated by race. To envisage is to imagine something that does not yet exist. The words envisage and envision share the same Latin root meaning to see. Both words are very similar in meaning but do have slight shades of difference. If you envision something happening, you can see it happening in your mind. I'm sure you can envision yourself graduating from high school! If you envisage something, you can imagine it, but not necessarily see it. You can envisage world peace, but it may be harder to envision it.
Vocabulary lists containing envisage
Fidel Castro (1926-2016) Memorial List
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English Words Derived from French, List 7
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Harry Truman's Inauguration Address
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Le Sage, the founder of Envisage Equity, a private equity firm in Southern California, said he did not give any specific instructions to the group on how to spend his donation.
From Reuters • Nov. 22, 2015
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
