conceive

Definition of conceivenext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word conceive distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of conceive are envisage, envision, fancy, imagine, realize, and think. While all these words mean "to form an idea of," conceive suggests the forming and bringing forth and usually developing of an idea, plan, or design.

conceived of a new marketing approach

How do envisage and envision relate to one another, in the sense of conceive?

Both 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

When could fancy be used to replace conceive?

Although the words fancy and conceive have much in common, fancy suggests an imagining often unrestrained by reality but spurred by desires.

fancied himself a super athlete

In what contexts can imagine take the place of conceive?

While in some cases nearly identical to conceive, imagine stresses a visualization.

imagine you're at the beach

When would realize be a good substitute for conceive?

The synonyms realize and conceive are sometimes interchangeable, but realize stresses a grasping of the significance of what is conceived or imagined.

realized the enormity of the task ahead

When can think be used instead of conceive?

In some situations, the words think and conceive are roughly equivalent. However, 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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of conceive Originally conceived in the late 1950s as an ambitious shopping mall, the project was never completed and was later repurposed by security forces. Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2026 Belmond recently added eight new suites to the VSOE, each conceived and crafted by French designers and artisans to reflect the landscapes—forests, mountains, lakes—the train passes through. Shamilee Vellu, Travel + Leisure, 30 Jan. 2026 TheaterWorks Hartford’s producing artistic director Rob Ruggiero co-conceived the project with Lamarre and Mezzocchi and is actively involved in its production. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 30 Jan. 2026 O'Hara provided the voices of Sally and Shock in 1993's The Nightmare Before Christmas, which Burton conceived and produced, and also lent her voice to several characters in 2012's Frankenweenie, which Burton directed. Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for conceive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conceive
Verb
  • Now imagine the same with some of those teary eyes angled down toward glowing screens, while others frame the bride with their phones.
    Nikita Khanna, Vogue, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Some researchers suggested that goodbyes required cognitive abilities that many nonhuman animals might lack, such as the capacity to imagine and plan for the future.
    Shayla Love, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • London — Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Britain’s Prince Andrew, has moved out of his longtime Windsor home and is now a resident of Norfolk, England, CNN understands.
    Max Foster, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
  • That’s what’s gotta be understood.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The 15-year-old boy, who had been diagnosed with cancer in November, could only think about his father’s safety.
    Susana Erazo, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Soil and Water When choosing a place in your yard for skeleton flower plants, select loamy, well-drained, yet moist soil that is rich in organic matter—think forest floor, not a sunny vegetable garden.
    Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • But Haiti failed to hold general elections on Saturday as envisioned a couple of years ago, with gang violence gripping much of the capital and swaths of land in the country's central region.
    EVENS SANON, Arkansas Online, 8 Feb. 2026
  • Eventually, Menard said, Crusoe envisions having lots of smaller data centers, focused on inference, that will be spread around the country, putting them closer to end users and improving latency.
    Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Bass, who was politically weakened by her performance during the fire and its aftermath, was already facing more than two dozen challengers looking to oust her in the June 2 primary — the vast majority little known to the public and not expected to pose any threat.
    David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
  • One note e-mailed Monday to the KOLD-TV newsroom in Tucson included information that only the abductor would know, anchor Mary Coleman told CNN.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The actor believed the spot was caused by his lymphoma, but later found out the tumor was actually unrelated.
    Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 8 Feb. 2026
  • That was believed to be just the first and second time that a parent was held criminally responsible for a mass school shooting committed by their child.
    Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 8 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Another source said the comedian was once frequently spotted around town over the summer but hasn't been seen since.
    Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Ukrainian civilians are struggling with one of the coldest winters in years, which saw temperatures dip to minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • What’s more, humans appreciate experiences like emotions in ways AI may never comprehend.
    Matthew S Williams, Interesting Engineering, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Time for a list of Movies That Live in Our Memories for Indefinable Reasons—a category that AI could neither generate nor comprehend, because loving movies is the province only of humans.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 4 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Conceive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conceive. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.

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