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: 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.

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

/ 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

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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of imagine¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of imagine¹

C14: from Latin imāginārī to fancy, picture mentally, from imāgō likeness; see _image

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.

Example Sentences

“Can you imagine if he’s out there every single week putting his life on the line doing this very dangerous, very high-pressure, high-intensity sport, and I’m like, ‘I wonder what my choreo should be?’”

From Los Angeles Times

Soto and Gay imagine a future where the center is shaped by writers’ needs.

From Los Angeles Times

With so much time spent clawing at his imagined future, Man-su loses sight of the company man title from his past.

From Salon

Most in Gaza, including me, never imagined the war would drag on for two full years.

From BBC

But The Fate of Ophelia singer says she can't imagine planning a performance at a game her fiance is simultaneously trying to win.

From BBC

When To Use

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.