verb
imagine
ih-MAJ-in/ɪˈmædʒɪn/
To construct a possibility in one's mind.
The man imagines a beach, forming a picture in his mind.
Etymology
The ancestral verb already meant to picture something to oneself. The central image is an inward representation: forming a picture or idea in the mind rather than making a visible object.
In context
You probably haven't actually seen any of these things, but you could imagine them instantly. How does your brain produce an image of something you've never seen?
More examples
- Can you imagine living without electricity?
- She imagines how the room will look with blue walls.
- I imagine the roads are busy at this hour.
Forms
imagine · imagines · imagined · imagining
imagination noun — The ability to create mental pictures or possibilities.
imaginative adjective — Skilled at creating original ideas or mental pictures.
Similar words
- envision
- Often suggests picturing a future situation or desired outcome.
- visualize
- Emphasizes forming a visual image rather than considering a possibility.
- suppose
- Expresses an assumption or tentative belief without requiring mental pictures.