1
as in graphical
consisting of or relating to pictures
after a desensitizing series of imaginal exposures to the feared object, the phobic person is then exposed to the actual object
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in mythic
not real and existing only in the imagination
the equator is merely an imaginal line
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 imaginal
With one technique, for example—called imaginal exposure—you might be asked to visualize the process of going to the airport, boarding the plane, and experiencing a bad bout of turbulence.
—
Angela Haupt, TIME, 10 May 2024
Mercury entering into Pisces turns up the imaginal juice.
—USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024
Then, from bundles of cells known as imaginal disks, a new body takes form.
—Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2023
Angela Haupt, TIME, 10 May 2024
Mercury entering into Pisces turns up the imaginal juice.
—USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024
Then, from bundles of cells known as imaginal disks, a new body takes form.
—Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imaginal
Adjective
-
Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
7 July 2025
-
In the onslaught of graphic videos the victims are lost, yet simultaneously the viewer is lost as well.—
Will Potter
July 7,
Literary Hub,
7 July 2025
Adjective
-
The Royal Observatory Greenwich is home to Greenwich Mean Time and the Prime Meridian, an imaginary line of longitude, designated as 0 degrees that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
-
The soundtrack shifts toward lighter indie rock and away from brain-numbing redundancies, while the story treats those imaginary genre sketches like an accidental off-ramp left in the rearview.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
10 July 2025
Adjective
-
The visual similarity was undeniable, but the massive gap between the two locations didn’t make sense.—
Aspen Pflughoeft
July 14,
Miami Herald,
14 July 2025
-
But McBurney hopes to be an inspiration for anyone in the blind community who doubts their ability to achieve success due to visual impairments.—
Ramal Nasim
Updated July 14,
Kansas City Star,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
Ozark Bathhouse, adorned with facade planters bearing pairs of mythical flying creatures, sometimes functions as a cultural center that hosts exhibits of arts and crafts.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 June 2025
-
And his government constructed a temple to Ram on the site of a former mosque in Ayodhya, the mythical birthplace of the eponymous hero of a Hindu epic.—
HARTOSH SINGH BAL,
Foreign Affairs,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
The photographic update comes a matter of weeks after Parker previewed new Tame Impala material during a surprise DJ set at Barcelona’s Nitsa Club.—
Tyler Jenke,
Billboard,
14 July 2025
-
The sighting marks the first photographic evidence of a dhole in this area.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
Further blurring fact from fiction is this latest approach of trying to capitalize on a TikTok viral moment by having a fictitious creator recite the words of a real creator.—
Shannon Bond,
NPR,
10 July 2025
-
Senegal just ditched its plans for the singer’s multibillion-dollar smart city in the country, reminiscent of Marvel’s fictitious nation in its Black Panther franchise.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
10 July 2025
Adjective
-
Her collection features millions of childhood artworks across developmental milestones — from scribbles to finger paintings and pictorial works — and has served as a major source of inspiration for Belott’s own artistic practice.—
Kristen Tauer,
Footwear News,
27 June 2025
-
Guests enjoy regional meals and vintage art, plus cycling and hiking trails and, most notably, Ruta de los Pueblos Blancos, a route through southern Spain’s most pictorial white villages.—
Jessica Benavides Canepa,
AFAR Media,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
Again, these are fictional groups from a Netflix movie (albeit, of course, with real singers behind them).—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2025
-
In April 2025, Pascale Hutton, who plays Rosemary Coulter, shared a post on Instagram posing with her on-screen husband, Kavan Smith, who portrays Leland Coulter, and their fictional daughter, Marigold.—
Francesca Gariano,
People.com,
5 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Imaginal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imaginal. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share