imagine

The word “imagine” means to form a mental picture of something, especially something not present or not real. In plain terms, to picture something in your mind, or to guess/assume something.

“Imagine” is pronounced ih-MAJ-ihn (/ɪˈmæd͡ʒ.ɪn/ in IPA).

Here is “imagine” used in a sentence: “Imagine a world without borders.”

Words with a similar meaning to “imagine” include ween.

“Imagine” is a verb.

The word “imagine” comes from Latin. From Old French imaginer, from Latin imaginari, built on imago ("image, likeness").

“Imagine” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Imagine” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to form a mental picture of something, especially something not present or not real.

To visualise is to form a specifically visual picture in your mind. To imagine is broader: you can imagine a sound, a smell, a feeling, or a whole situation, and it often carries a sense of inventing something new or unreal. All visualising is imagining, but not the reverse.

Yes, in casual use 'imagine' often means to suppose or expect: 'I imagine she'll be late.' Here you're not picturing anything but making a reasonable guess. This softer sense sits alongside the main meaning of forming a mental image, and context shows which one is intended.

Yes. Imagination is a skill that grows with use. Reading fiction, daydreaming on purpose, asking 'what if' questions, and creative play all stretch it. The more you practise forming and combining mental pictures, the richer and quicker your imagining tends to become — much like exercising a muscle.

'Close your eyes and imagine a beach at sunset' asks you to build a mental picture. 'I can't imagine living without music' shows the word used for conceiving a possibility. Both involve forming in the mind something that isn't physically present at that moment.