visualize

verb

vi·​su·​al·​ize ˈvi-zhə-wə-ˌlīz 

ˈvi-zhə-ˌlīz, 

ˈvizh-wə-ˌlīz

visualized; visualizing

transitive verb

: to make visible: such as

a

: to see or form a mental image of : envisage

trying to visualize the problem

b

: to make (an internal organ or part) visible by radiographic visualization

intransitive verb

: to form a mental visual image

Synonyms of visualize

• imagine
• envision
• see
• picture

Examples of visualize in a Sentence

She tried to visualize the scene he was describing.

Before you swing, visualize yourself hitting the ball.

Recent Examples on the Web

To help spot the differences, NASA offers an animation depicting the lunar phases for 2026, allowing sky watchers to visualize the moon throughout the year. —Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 1 Jan. 2026

The firm builds exposure maps that visualize an individual’s digital vulnerabilities — linking addresses, relatives, dormant emails, old domains, platform accounts, leaked identifiers and dark-web traces into a single cohesive picture. —Wyles Daniel, Miami Herald, 31 Dec. 2025

The team began by creating a 3D model of the device to visualize and refine the placement of its parts. —Joanna Goodrich, IEEE Spectrum, 31 Dec. 2025

The practice of loving-kindness often involves quietly reciting to oneself several traditional phrases designed to evoke metta, and visualizing the beings who will receive that loving-kindness. —Jeremy David Engels, The Conversation, 29 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for visualize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• characterize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize

Kids Definition

visualize

verb

vi·​su·​al·​ize ˈvizh-(ə-)wə-ˌlīz 

ˈvizh-ə-ˌlīz

visualized; visualizing

: to make visible

especially : to form a mental image of

Medical Definition

visualize

transitive verb

vi·​su·​al·​ize

variants also British visualise

ˈvizh-(ə-)wə-ˌlīz, ˈvizh-ə-ˌlīz 

visualized also British visualised; visualizing also British visualising

: to make visible: as

a

: to see or form a mental image of

b

: to make (an organ) visible by radiographic visualization

visualize the gallbladder

c

: to prepare (as an organism or tissue) for microscopic examination especially by staining