imagination

American  

[ih-maj-uh-ney-shuhn] / ɪˌmædʒ əˈneɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the faculty of imagining, or of forming mental images or concepts of what is not actually present to the senses.

2. the action or process of forming such images or concepts.

3. the faculty of producing ideal creations consistent with reality, as in literature, as distinct from the power of creating illustrative or decorative imagery.

4. the product of imagining a conception or mental creation, often a baseless or fanciful one.

5. ability to face and resolve difficulties; resourcefulness.

   a job that requires imagination.

   Synonyms:

   thought, enterprise, ingenuity

6. Psychology. the power of reproducing images stored in the memory under the suggestion of associated images reproductive imagination or of recombining former experiences in the creation of new images directed at a specific goal or aiding in the solution of problems creative imagination.

7. (in Kantian epistemology) synthesis of data from the sensory manifold into objects by means of the categories.

8. Archaic. a plan, scheme, or plot.

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imagination British  

/ ɪˌmædʒɪˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. the faculty or action of producing ideas, esp mental images of what is not present or has not been experienced

2. mental creative ability

3. the ability to deal resourcefully with unexpected or unusual problems, circumstances, etc

4. (in romantic literary criticism, esp that of S. T. Coleridge) a creative act of perception that joins passive and active elements in thinking and imposes unity on the poetic material Compare fancy

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imagination Idioms  

1. see figment of one's imagination.

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Related Words

See fancy.

Other Word Forms

• imaginational adjective
• nonimaginational adjective

Etymology

Origin of imagination

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, Middle French, from Latin imāginātiōn- (stem of imāginātiō ) “mental image, fancy,” equivalent to imāgināt(us), past participle of the verb imāginārī imagine ( imāgin-, stem of imāgō image + -ātus -ate ¹ ) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

Imagination refers to the process of forming images or concepts in the mind, often images of things that are not really there. That shark in your bathtub must have been in your imagination — or was it? Often shunned for living in a dream world, imagination is behind unicorns, Big Foot, and excessive daydreaming. But it’s humans’ ability to picture what is not there, and to be resourceful and creative, that is behind many of our achievements. Maybe that’s why Albert Einstein said “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” After all, without a little imagination, we wouldn’t have the pyramids, the space shuttles, or the Star Wars trilogy.

Example Sentences

A display featuring a large skull first captured his imagination.

From Science Daily • Apr. 15, 2026

But this muddled campaign season has clearly failed to capture voters’ imagination.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

If it feels like economists have been slumping lately, it’s not just your imagination.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

That shot 57 years ago helped capture the public's imagination when it was taken by US astronaut Bill Anders during the first space mission to carry humans around the Moon.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

I figured Imogene was making this up as she went along, so you had to be impressed with her imagination.

From "The Best School Year Ever" by Barbara Robinson

Related Words

• artistry
• awareness
• fancy
• fantasy
• idea
• image
• imagery
• ingenuity
• insight
• inspiration
• intelligence
• inventiveness
• originality
• resourcefulness
• thought
• vision
• wit