imagine
Americanverb (used with object)
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imagines,
present (3rd person singular)
-
imagined,
past participle, past
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imagining
present participle
-
to form a mental image of (something not actually present to the senses).
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to think, believe, or fancy.
He imagined the house was haunted.
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to assume; suppose.
I imagine they'll be here soon.
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to conjecture; guess.
I cannot imagine what you mean.
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Archaic. to plan, scheme, or plot.
verb (used without object)
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imagines,
present (3rd person singular)
-
imagined,
past participle, past
-
imagining
present participle
-
to form mental images of things not present to the senses; use the imagination.
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to suppose; think; conjecture.
verb
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(when tr, may take a clause as object) to form a mental image of
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(when tr, may take a clause as object) to think, believe, or guess
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(tr; takes a clause as object) to suppose; assume
I imagine he'll come
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(tr; takes a clause as object) to believe or assume without foundation
he imagines he knows the whole story
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an archaic word for plot 1
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.
Synonym Usage
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
Derived Forms
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imaginernoun
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preimagineverb (used with object)
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reimagineverb (used with object)
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imaginableadjective
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unimaginedadjective
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well-imaginedadjective
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imaginablyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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imaginesimple
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imaginessimple
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have imaginedperfect
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has imaginedperfect
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am imaginingprogressive
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are imaginingprogressive
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is imaginingprogressive
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have been imaginingperfect progressive
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has been imaginingperfect progressive
Past
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imaginedsimple
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had imaginedperfect
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was imaginingprogressive
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were imaginingprogressive
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had been imaginingperfect progressive
Future
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
Explanation
To imagine something is to picture it in your head. When we imagine things, we're using our imagination. The word image is a good clue to the meaning of imagine, a word for picturing or envisioning things. You could imagine you're a king, an astronaut, a firefighter, or a coyote. You could imagine the earth getting hit by an asteroid. If you can think of it, you can imagine it. Sometimes, imagining means believing or guessing. For example, your teacher could say, "Did you really imagine there would be no homework?"
Vocabulary lists containing imagine
Because of Winn-Dixie
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The Marvels
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Edge: Academic Vocabulary
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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.
See Examples For:
It’s also not hard to imagine the estates of Big Mama Thornton and Arthur Crudup — should any such entities exist — scoffing at those headlines.
From Salon ● Oct. 30, 2026
"You can imagine peoples' faces when Patrick served them their meal."
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
He prefers to bring together different generations and sensibilities: “Some young people, some older people, things that you wouldn’t imagine being next to each other.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026
She used to ride her pink Huffy bike and imagine Cold War enemies in suburban traffic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
As I walked between the shelves, it was easy to imagine I was back in the palatial Academy library with its levels upon levels of books.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
The figure helps introduce the exhibition’s exploration of humanity’s relationship to nature; Albuquerque imagines the character as the maker of her landscape projects and considers her an alter ego.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
Wu Shaohua, a 28-year-old from Jiangxi province, was dressed in what one imagines a Tibetan shaman might wear.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
He imagines Meta has been working on the camera-free glasses for several years, and the current backlash over privacy provides "fantastic timing" for their release.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
I am not the fan that the NFL pictures when it imagines its fans.
From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2026
It is always harder to cope with the disasters and tragedies one imagines than with the reality, however grim or disagreeable.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Cutting through it was less delightful than I’d imagined.
From Salon ● Oct. 30, 2026
“This is not a recommendation we ever imagined making.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
As Sarabia, a native plant advocate, stared at it, he imagined a waystation for monarchs on their commutes across Los Angeles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026
You wouldn’t have imagined anything major to come out of any contest, any seat.
From Slate ● Oct. 29, 2026
I always imagined the countryside would be full of green grass and colorful wildflowers—maybe with a bubbling stream where ducks swim or a red barn to house the horses grazing in a nearby meadow.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
Only during the past 12 or 13 months did the team really start imagining ways to bring the phrase to life.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
Which is perhaps why, reading through the celebrations of Airbnb’s new rules, I keep imagining the other side of that sink full of dishes.
From Salon ● Oct. 28, 2026
A third disc, “The Stranger in the House,” finds Costello imagining another potential career for himself as a professional songwriter.
From Salon ● Oct. 14, 2026
She may also have to devote precious time to the practical task of showcasing the condo for sale, and emptying years of living that would prevent a buyer from imagining themselves living there.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026
I squeeze my eyes shut and try to sink deeper into the moss, stretching out my arms and imagining they are tree roots.
From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
