Synonym Chooser

How is the word imagine distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of imagine are conceive, envisage, envision, fancy, realize, and think. While all these words mean "to form an idea of," imagine stresses a visualization.

imagine you're at the beach

When is it sensible to use conceive instead of imagine?

While the synonyms conceive and imagine are close in meaning, 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 imagine?

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 imagine?

The words fancy and imagine are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fancy suggests an imagining often unrestrained by reality but spurred by desires.

fancied himself a super athlete

When is realize a more appropriate choice than imagine?

The meanings of realize and imagine largely overlap; however, realize stresses a grasping of the significance of what is conceived or imagined.

realized the enormity of the task ahead

Where would think be a reasonable alternative to imagine?

The words think and imagine can be used in similar contexts, but 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 imagine Many theories have been floating around about what may have caused the rearranging with some guessing another stage and others imagining an extraordinary set design. Caché McClay, USA Today, 24 Apr. 2025 Just imagine the entertaining options, both inside and out. Miles Walls, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Apr. 2025 Just imagine the potpourri of amazing facial expressions that would have been on display had Sai been sitting on the jury. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 10 Apr. 2025 Brian Eno Few musicians have applied themselves so diligently to imagining what space sounds like. Neda Ulaby, NPR, 9 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for imagine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imagine
Verb
  • Beyond horse racing, Calderone envisions FreeRacehorse.com as a solution to one of the most significant challenges facing streaming services and broadcast TV — extending the relationship with viewers beyond the big screen to smaller screens for continuous engagement.
    William Jones, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025
  • Joana Galego originally envisioned Egg Shells (2025) as a larger canvas and the visual narrative revealed itself at five-feet-wide and just over four-feet tall.
    Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The workshop acknowledges that people usually think of consent and boundaries in extreme terms.
    William Jones, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025
  • The Browns must think otherwise to be taking him with a top 100 pick, but this one is hard to explain.
    Zac Jackson, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg guessed Johnny Rzeznik from Goo Goo Dolls.
    Michael Schneider, Variety, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Many theories have been floating around about what may have caused the rearranging with some guessing another stage and others imagining an extraordinary set design.
    Caché McClay, USA Today, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • From New York to Hollywood and everywhere in between, see what your favorite stars are up to Comments Stars have been everywhere this week.
    Toria Sheffield, People.com, 27 Apr. 2025
  • Sey, who saw an opening in the market for a brand that speaks out on behalf of females everywhere, noted that no other athletic label is doing what XX-XY Athletics sets out to accomplish.
    Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 27 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Musk has never denied his hard-charging style and believes that his work building electric cars and rockets is crucial for the health of the planet and the continuation of the human species, and that his DOGE work responds to threats of U.S. bankruptcy.
    Jonathan Landay, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
  • And if White Houses have believed this too, that the people that are being covered do not choose who covers them.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Some employers may hesitate to hire someone with a career gap or assume that a more experienced professional won't stay long.
    Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
  • There’s a lot of reason to like these odds as Raphinha is averaging 3.68 shots per 90 minutes on the year, 0.15 xG per shot (well above average), and will likely assume penalty duties in the absence of Lewandowski.
    Brett Koremenos, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Coca-Cola cans are pictured in a supermarket in Bayonne, New Jersey, on April 8, 2025.
    Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Sanders was pictured holding a Louis Vuitton case full of money while partying, and Sanders' brother, Deion Jr., revealed how much money was in the case.
    Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • According to the air quality index, anything over 100 for pollutants and fine particulates in the air is considered unhealthy, especially for people who are sensitive to the effects of elevated levels of pollutants, including children and adults with pre-existing respiratory problems.
    Jon Haworth, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Everton’s new owners, The Friedkin Group (TFG), has been impressed with performances since its takeover in December and getting a new deal for Sorensen over the line was considered part of the next step in the women’s team’s new era under its ownership.
    Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Imagine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imagine. Accessed 3 May. 2025.

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