visualization
Britishnoun
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the act or an instance of visualizing
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a technique involving focusing on positive mental images in order to achieve a particular goal
Explanation
You can see it all so clearly: the mansion, the moat, the stable. Too bad it’s just a visualization, a mental image that looks so real it’s almost as if you’re seeing it. Time to buy another Lotto ticket. Often the word is used as shorthand for creative visualization, a specific practice that started in the New Thought movement of the 19th century. The followers of that movement believed that if they visualized what they wanted, they would usually get it. Eventually the technique caught on with sports coaches, which is why if you've ever played basketball for a school team you've probably been told to picture the ball going into the basket before you take a shot.
Vocabulary lists containing visualization
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.
Rosie Ettenheim is a graphics reporter for The Wall Street Journal in New York, specializing in data visualization and design.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
Scientific visualization plays an important role in helping researchers understand complex information.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 7, 2026
I generally think of mood boards and visualization as ineffective or a bit “woo-woo,” but research suggests that imagining yourself older can increase your retirement savings.
From MarketWatch ● May 30, 2026
Merrill Sherman is an award-winning graphics reporter for The Wall Street Journal, specializing in illustration, 3-D drawing and data visualization.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 3, 2026
These included using our breathing, visualization, meditation, and even counting or going over times tables.
From "Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus" by Dusti Bowling
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.
