imagination
Americannoun
-
the faculty of imagining, or of forming mental images or concepts of what is not actually present to the senses.
-
the action or process of forming such images or concepts.
-
the faculty of producing ideal creations consistent with reality, as in literature, as distinct from the power of creating illustrative or decorative imagery.
-
the product of imagining a conception or mental creation, often a baseless or fanciful one.
-
ability to face and resolve difficulties; resourcefulness.
a job that requires imagination.
- Synonyms:
- thought, enterprise, ingenuity
-
Psychology. the power of reproducing images stored in the memory under the suggestion of associated images reproductive imagination or of recombining former experiences in the creation of new images directed at a specific goal or aiding in the solution of problems creative imagination.
-
(in Kantian epistemology) synthesis of data from the sensory manifold into objects by means of the categories.
-
Archaic. a plan, scheme, or plot.
noun
-
the faculty or action of producing ideas, esp mental images of what is not present or has not been experienced
-
mental creative ability
-
the ability to deal resourcefully with unexpected or unusual problems, circumstances, etc
-
(in romantic literary criticism, esp that of S. T. Coleridge) a creative act of perception that joins passive and active elements in thinking and imposes unity on the poetic material Compare fancy
Synonym Usage
See fancy.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of imagination
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, Middle French, from Latin imāginātiōn- (stem of imāginātiō ) “mental image, fancy,” equivalent to imāgināt(us), past participle of the verb imāginārī imagine ( imāgin-, stem of imāgō image + -ātus -ate 1 ) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
Imagination refers to the process of forming images or concepts in the mind, often images of things that are not really there. That shark in your bathtub must have been in your imagination — or was it? Often shunned for living in a dream world, imagination is behind unicorns, Big Foot, and excessive daydreaming. But it’s humans’ ability to picture what is not there, and to be resourceful and creative, that is behind many of our achievements. Maybe that’s why Albert Einstein said “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” After all, without a little imagination, we wouldn’t have the pyramids, the space shuttles, or the Star Wars trilogy.
Vocabulary lists containing imagination
Creative Writing - Middle School
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
General Terms, List 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Creative Writing - Introductory
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
It’s not your imagination: This summer has been unusually sticky in Los Angeles, with humidity levels making conditions feel more like the Deep South than Southern California.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
The sleeping mind appears to reorganize pieces of reality, combining memories with imagination, expectations, and possible future experiences.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 27, 2026
A hotbed of feminist rebellion, its corset-shattering, myth-busting history encompasses a journey of emancipation, imagination, and healthy disdain for patriarchal expectations.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
“The Wizard of Oz” reminded viewers of the necessity for imagination and metaphor at the end of the Great Depression and dawn of a new war.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
A chess-playing friend, Karl Burger, ten years older, who went on to become a medical doctor and an international master, first told Bobby about the tome, feeding the boy’s imagination about the wisdom it contained.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
The well-travelled Norwegians, who have captured the hearts and imaginations of many World Cup watchers with their enchanting celebration, were led by Haaland post-match on Sunday.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
Their imaginations seem to have been fed on solely on “Starship Troopers” and little else except maybe some Tolkien.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 1, 2026
For the past year, defense and artificial intelligence have captured investors’ imaginations, leaving green energy out in the cold.
From Barron's ● May 29, 2026
Susan Tomes invites us to return with new appreciation to the wonderful works of Chopin, Field and others—and to linger over the spell that night casts upon our imaginations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026
We thought it was extremely funny, but we laughed even harder when Mr. van Daan told us that certain people have vivid imaginations.
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
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.
