imaginary

adjective

imag·​i·​nary i-ˈma-jə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce imaginary (audio)
-ˌne-rē
1
a
: existing only in imagination : lacking factual reality
b
: formed or characterized imaginatively or arbitrarily
his canvases, chiefly imaginary, somber landscapesCurrent Biography
2
: containing or relating to the imaginary unit
imaginary roots
imaginarily adverb
imaginariness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for imaginary

imaginary, fanciful, visionary, fantastic, chimerical, quixotic mean unreal or unbelievable.

imaginary applies to something which is fictitious and purely the product of one's imagination.

an imaginary desert isle

fanciful suggests the free play of the imagination.

a teller of fanciful stories

visionary stresses impracticality or incapability of realization.

visionary schemes

fantastic implies incredibility or strangeness beyond belief.

a fantastic world inhabited by monsters

chimerical combines the implication of visionary and fantastic.

chimerical dreams of future progress

quixotic implies a devotion to romantic or chivalrous ideals unrestrained by ordinary prudence and common sense.

a quixotic crusade

Examples of imaginary in a Sentence

The two groups were separated by an imaginary line down the middle of the room. an imaginary world of dragons and unicorns
Recent Examples on the Web These are how memories are made, the kind that last a lifetime — even if the exact details about, say, an army of imaginary bunnies emerging from the forest during your trip remain a little fuzzy. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2024 Its current exhibition analyzes how the artist’s painterly subjects — real or imaginary — dressed. Rhonda Richford, WWD, 24 Sep. 2024 The latter dishes out some of the funniest one-liners when the writers poke fun at his extreme loneliness working in isolation and the imaginary friends he’s built to cope. Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2024 But Trump’s lower-profile recent public appearances, like rallies and interviews, have also featured wholly imaginary tales. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for imaginary 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'imaginary.' 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 ymaginarie, borrowed from Latin imāginārius "unreal, fictitious (in law)," from imāgin-, imāgō "representation, semblance, image entry 1" + -ārius -ary entry 2

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of imaginary was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near imaginary

Cite this Entry

“Imaginary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imaginary. Accessed 13 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

imaginary

adjective
imag·​i·​nary im-ˈaj-ə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce imaginary (audio)
: existing only in imagination : not real
unicorns are imaginary

Medical Definition

imaginary

adjective
imag·​i·​nary im-ˈaj-ə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce imaginary (audio)
: existing only in imagination : lacking factual reality
imaginary fears
an imaginary illness

More from Merriam-Webster on imaginary

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