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imagine
[ ih-maj-in ]
verb (used with object)
- to form a mental image of (something not actually present to the senses).
- to think, believe, or fancy:
He imagined the house was haunted.
- to assume; suppose:
I imagine they'll be here soon.
- to conjecture; guess:
I cannot imagine what you mean.
- Archaic. to plan, scheme, or plot.
verb (used without object)
- to form mental images of things not present to the senses; use the imagination.
- to suppose; think; conjecture.
imagine
/ ɪˈmædʒɪn /
verb
- when tr, may take a clause as object to form a mental image of
- when tr, may take a clause as object to think, believe, or guess
- tr; takes a clause as object to suppose; assume
I imagine he'll come
- tr; takes a clause as object to believe or assume without foundation
he imagines he knows the whole story
- an archaic word for plot 1
sentence substitute
- Alsoimagine that! an exclamation of surprise
Derived Forms
- imˈaginable, adjective
- imˈaginer, noun
- imˈaginably, adverb
Other Words From
- i·magin·er noun
- preim·agine verb (used with object) preimagined preimagining
- rei·magine verb (used with object) reimagined reimagining
- unim·agined adjective
- well-i·magined adjective
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of imagine1
Synonym Study
Example Sentences
As members of the crash recovery crew search for survivors among the wreckage, they encounter mysterious predatory life forms more terrifying than they could have ever imagined.
"It was a better cover than I imagined. It was just Brandi and it was just one word - the word 'yes'."
There was an impressive response from the emergency services and I imagined recovering on the hillside then walking slowly back to the car park.
“I can’t imagine, unless we have major revision of the statutes, that there could be massive elimination of the scientific core.”
Can you imagine how powerless and small that made E. Jean Carroll feel, when in fact, the one who was weak and small was Donald Trump?
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More About Imagine
What does imagine mean?
To imagine is to form a mental likeness of something or someone not present, as in Imagine flying in a rocket to Mars.
To imagine also means to think of something, especially in a way that it is not currently, as in Imagine what the house might look like after all these years.
To imagine is also to assume, as in Oh dear, the teacher imagined that we all did our homework.
Finally, to imagine can mean to guess, as in Can you imagine what it would be like for it to snow in the summer?
Example: I can’t imagine they will take much longer, so we should just wait here.
Where does imagine come from?
The first records of the term imagine come from the 1300s. It ultimately comes from the Latin imāginārī.
Imagine is sometimes used for describing daydreaming, especially about something that you might find pleasant but probably cannot happen. A famous example of this is John Lennon’s song “Imagine,” which asks the listener to imagine a world without greed, hatred, or suffering. And in his song “God’s Plan,” which is about his belief that everything happens for a reason, Drake sings, “Imagine if I never met the broskis.”
Did you know … ?
What are some other forms related to imagine?
- imaginer (noun)
- imagineer (noun)
- reimagine (verb)
- unimagined (adjective)
What are some synonyms for imagine?
What are some words that share a root or word element with imagine?
What are some words that often get used in discussing imagine?
How is imagine used in real life?
Imagine is commonly used in casual conversations to talk about forming mental images.
Could you imagine loving and raising a child only to have that child record a live concert on their phone?
— Cole M. Sprouse (@colesprouse) April 15, 2018
My life is strange imagine living in a dream world that u didn't dream
— Liam (@LiamPayne) June 2, 2014
Try using imagine!
Is imagine used correctly in the following sentence?
Imagine what it must be like to cross the Shibuya Scramble Crossing.
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