conceive

verb

con·​ceive kən-ˈsēv How to pronounce conceive (audio)
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
Choose the Right Synonym for 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.

I just thought of a good joke

conceive suggests the forming and bringing forth and usually developing of an idea, plan, or design.

conceived of a new marketing approach

imagine stresses a visualization.

imagine you're at the beach

fancy suggests an imagining often unrestrained by reality but spurred by desires.

fancied himself a super athlete

realize stresses a grasping of the significance of what is conceived or imagined.

realized the enormity of the task ahead

envisage and envision imply a conceiving or imagining that is especially clear or detailed.

envisaged a totally computerized operation
envisioned a cure for the disease

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 on the Web Before taking over the neuroscience beat, Stix, as Scientific American's special projects editor, oversaw the magazine's annual single-topic special issues, conceiving of and producing issues on Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, climate change and nanotechnology. Gary Stix, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2024 Kent conceived Time and Tide as a nod to Grand Central Oyster Bar, and Garcia is carrying out this vision of a fish-forward steakhouse with a menu designed around large-format seafood dishes. Kate Kassin, Bon Appétit, 30 Sep. 2024 Graced with an improbable combination of gobsmacking curves and an almost unbeatable track record spanning several decades, the GTO was conceived as a homologated, roadgoing version of the FIA’s touring car class—hence, the Gran Turismo Omologato descriptor. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 28 Sep. 2024 First established in 1984, the AAI Annual Awards Gala was conceived as a way for the institute to celebrate the achievements of Africans and the global African diaspora while building new narratives about the continent. Melissa Noel, Essence, 27 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for conceive 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'conceive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French conceivre, from Latin concipere to take in, conceive, from com- + capere to take — more at heave entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of conceive was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near conceive

Cite this Entry

“Conceive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conceive. Accessed 10 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

conceive

verb
con·​ceive kən-ˈsēv How to pronounce conceive (audio)
conceived; conceiving
1
: to become pregnant or pregnant with
conceive a child
2
a
: to take into the mind
conceived a liking for the singer
b
: to form an idea of : imagine
conceive a new design
3
: to have as an opinion : think
conceived of her as a genius
conceivable
-ˈsē-və-bəl
adjective
conceivably
-blē
adverb
conceiver noun

Medical Definition

conceive

verb
con·​ceive kən-ˈsēv How to pronounce conceive (audio)
conceived; conceiving

transitive verb

: to become pregnant with (young)

intransitive verb

: to become pregnant

More from Merriam-Webster on conceive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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