as in fictitious
not real and existing only in the imagination
told by the psychologist that it was perfectly normal for their child to have an imaginary friend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 imaginary
Those studies used a pretend tea party to see if kids could track an imaginary object, like a cup of pretend juice.
—
Nathan Rott, NPR, 10 Feb. 2026
That wall might be imaginary after all.
—Mike Finger, San Antonio Express-News, 5 Feb. 2026
Finally, the researchers did another version of the original test but used imaginary grapes instead of juice, with similar results.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
Unfortunately, the new love in your life may be imaginary and only after your bank account.
—C. A. Bridges, Florida Times-Union, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for imaginary
Nathan Rott, NPR, 10 Feb. 2026
That wall might be imaginary after all.
—Mike Finger, San Antonio Express-News, 5 Feb. 2026
Finally, the researchers did another version of the original test but used imaginary grapes instead of juice, with similar results.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
Unfortunately, the new love in your life may be imaginary and only after your bank account.
—C. A. Bridges, Florida Times-Union, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for imaginary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imaginary
Adjective
-
Who wants to sit through a fictitious novelist’s clumsy drafts?—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The committee requested that information after a congressional watchdog found last December that the enhanced premium tax credits were vulnerable to fraud, with auditors successfully obtaining subsidized coverage for multiple ‘fictitious’ applicants.—
Sophie Brams,
The Hill,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Terms & Conditions interweaves fictional and historical characters in an immersive story that spans 247 years across land and sea.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Lawrence, who serves as executive producer on the new incarnation, can also see a parallel between his path and that of his fictional creations.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Today’s longevity-medicine movement is driven by the same aggressive desire for eternal youth as the mythic stories of old.—
Will Gottsegen,
The Atlantic,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Rarely do these pieces directly echo the two men’s interpersonal drama, but the information adds context to the actors’ enchanting movements, which are backed by gorgeous outfits and striking set design that accentuate the mythical tales being played out.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Both are beatless, widescreen, and almost formless, little soundtracks to an imagined world in bloom.—
Alex Robert Ross,
Pitchfork,
13 Feb. 2026
-
They’d been drawn by the pay, but also by a sense of altruism and imagined kinship.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Peter [Merry] likes to use is that, when a caterpillar is becoming a butterfly, new ‘imaginal cells’ emerge.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
7 Aug. 2025
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Imaginary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imaginary. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
