imagination
noun
imag·i·na·tion
i-ˌma-jə-ˈnā-shən 
1
: the act or power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or never before wholly perceived in reality
2
a
: creative ability
b
: ability to confront and deal with a problem : resourcefulness
use your imagination and get us out of here
c
: the thinking or active mind : interest
stories that fired the imagination
3
a
: a creation of the mind
especially
: an idealized or poetic creation
b
: fanciful or empty assumption
Synonyms
Examples of imagination in a Sentence
You can find a solution if you use a little imagination.
The author does not tell us what happens to the characters. We have to use our imagination.
He's a competent writer, but he lacks imagination.
Is it just my imagination, or is it getting warm in here?
Recent Examples on the Web
In a move that has captured the imagination of skywatchers and travelers alike, Delta Air Lines is setting the stage and offering two special flights that will allow flyers to witness next week's total solar eclipse from the best vantage point possible.
—
Manuel Bojorquez, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024
Kiss signed with Neil Bogart’s Casablanca Records that year and by the mid-1970s had become one of the world’s biggest bands, their fantastical imagery, eye-popping concerts and basic but driving rock music capturing the imaginations of millions of teenagers.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 4 Apr. 2024
Released just over 25 years ago, The Matrix swept the imaginations of audiences with a mind-bending story, envelope-pushing special effects, and a defining performance from Keanu Reeves.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Apr. 2024
What dominates the local imagination now is oil and gas.
—Gaiutra Bahadur Keisha Scarville, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2024
That fantasy took hold in the Christian imagination.
—James Carroll, The New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2024
Look to see evidence of the imagination made real through human hands everywhere: in the land that is cleared; in the architecture that endures; in the quilts and elegant coiffures, the pressed and stitched shirts, the felted cowboy hats.
—Imani Perry, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2024
Yet while the legend of Earhart’s aviation feats and mysterious disappearance has long gripped the public imagination, Coleman’s equally impressive career as the first African-American woman to hold a pilot license is a story that still largely goes untold.
—Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Mar. 2024
In the popular imagination, the islands are a place where plush resorts fringed by loamy sand invite you to do nothing at all.
—David Swanson, Travel + Leisure, 24 Mar. 2024
Manuel Bojorquez, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024
Kiss signed with Neil Bogart’s Casablanca Records that year and by the mid-1970s had become one of the world’s biggest bands, their fantastical imagery, eye-popping concerts and basic but driving rock music capturing the imaginations of millions of teenagers.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 4 Apr. 2024
Released just over 25 years ago, The Matrix swept the imaginations of audiences with a mind-bending story, envelope-pushing special effects, and a defining performance from Keanu Reeves.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Apr. 2024
What dominates the local imagination now is oil and gas.
—Gaiutra Bahadur Keisha Scarville, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2024
That fantasy took hold in the Christian imagination.
—James Carroll, The New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2024
Look to see evidence of the imagination made real through human hands everywhere: in the land that is cleared; in the architecture that endures; in the quilts and elegant coiffures, the pressed and stitched shirts, the felted cowboy hats.
—Imani Perry, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2024
Yet while the legend of Earhart’s aviation feats and mysterious disappearance has long gripped the public imagination, Coleman’s equally impressive career as the first African-American woman to hold a pilot license is a story that still largely goes untold.
—Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Mar. 2024
In the popular imagination, the islands are a place where plush resorts fringed by loamy sand invite you to do nothing at all.
—David Swanson, Travel + Leisure, 24 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'imagination.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near imagination
Cite this Entry
“Imagination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imagination. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
imagination
noun
imag·i·na·tion
im-ˌaj-ə-ˈnā-shən
1
: the act or power of forming a mental picture of something not present and especially of something one has not known or experienced
2
: creative ability
3
: a creation of the mind
Medical Definition
imagination
noun
imag·i·na·tion
im-ˌaj-ə-ˈnā-shən
: an act or process of forming a conscious idea or mental image of something never before wholly perceived in reality by the one forming the images (as through a synthesis of remembered elements of previous sensory experiences or ideas as modified by unconscious defense mechanisms)
also
: the ability or gift of forming such conscious ideas or mental images especially for the purposes of artistic or intellectual creation
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