conceive

verb con·ceive \ kən-ˈsēv \

|Updated on: 19 Jun 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: conceive in a Sentence

Definition of conceive

conceived; conceiving

transitive verb

1 a : to become pregnant with (young)

conceive a child

b : to cause to begin : originate

a project conceived by the company's founder

2 a : to take into one's mind

conceive a prejudice

b : to form a conception of : imagine

a badly conceived design

cleverly conceived teleplays

3 : to apprehend by reason or imagination : understand

unable to conceive his reasons

It is easy enough to conceive the notion that your island is a sort of fortress.
—Paul Theroux

4 : to have as an opinion

I cannot conceive that he acted alone.

intransitive verb

1 : to become pregnant

2 : to have a conception —usually used with of

conceives of death as emptiness

It is hard to conceive of all the work that must have been involved in starting off from scratch.
—Harold Fromm

—

conceiver

noun

See conceive defined for English-language learners

See conceive defined for kids

Examples of conceive in a Sentence

When the writer conceived this role, he had a specific actor in mind to play the part.
As conceived by the committee, the bill did not raise taxes.
a woman who has been unable to conceive
a woman who has been unable to conceive a child

Recent Examples of conceive from the Web

The first-time award was conceived by designer and CFDA board member Tommy Hilfiger, who said that Kardashian West's influence is impossible to ignore in fashion—even if Kardashian West isn't running a label herself.

— halie lesavage, Glamour, "Kim Kardashian Says She's 'Shocked' to Win CFDA Award Since She's 'Naked Most of the Time'," 4 June 2018
One decade later, after Murphy gave the world plastic surgery drama Nip/Tuck (the most bonkers medical show ever conceived, with its very own serial killer) Murphy birthed Glee.

— refinery29.com, "The Hallmarks Of A Ryan Murphy Show," 4 June 2018
The amount of waste that goes on in London households in this item of coal can hardly be conceived.

— daniel c. schlenoff, Scientific American, "50/100/150 Years Ago: The Politics of Urban Riots in 1968," 1 June 2018
Universal credit was conceived in the late 2000s as a fairly generous scheme that would establish the Tories as champions of the deserving poor, rather than the misers many working-class voters believed them to be.

— The Economist, "Britain’s switch to a “universal credit” is not going well," 31 May 2018
Each room is staffed by the designer who conceived and executed the concept for that room.

— joanne kempinger demski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Tour for a cure: Architectural treasure is this year's Breast Cancer Showhouse," 18 May 2018
The Farm Bill was initially conceived as a response to the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression, an effort to provide fair prices for both consumers and farmers, access to quality food, and protection for natural resources.

— alex shephard, The New Republic, "The Farm Bill Is Everything That’s Wrong With Congress," 18 May 2018
Also, the Grammy Awards was conceived that year and Warner Bros. Records opened its doors.

— ed christman, Billboard, "Music Biz President Jim Donio Celebrates Trade Org's 60th Anniversary, Outlasting 'The 45, the 8-track, the MiniDisc'," 16 May 2018
Cliveden House was first conceived by the 2nd Duke of Buckingham, who had commissioned the property as a monument to his mistress Anna Maria, Countess of Shrewsbury, in the late 17th century.

— keith flanagan, Town & Country, "Inside Cliveden House, the Hotel Where Meghan Markle Will Spend the Night Before Her Wedding," 14 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'conceive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of conceive

Middle English, from Anglo-French conceivre, from Latin concipere to take in, conceive, from com- + capere to take — more at heave

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

conceive Synonyms

Phrases

pick up on;

Synonym Discussion of conceive

think, conceive, imagine, fancy, realize, envisage, envision mean to form an idea of. think implies the entrance of an idea into one's mind with or without deliberate consideration or reflection.