noun

aphantasia

ay-fan-TAY-zhuh

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Aphantasia (noun) means a condition in which a person cannot form mental pictures and so has no working mind's eye. Example: “Because of aphantasia, she cannot picture her own living room when she closes her eyes.”

noun

A condition in which a person cannot form mental pictures and so has no working mind's eye.

"Because of aphantasia, she cannot picture her own living room when she closes her eyes."

"He only learned he had aphantasia when friends described seeing images while counting sheep."

"Researchers are still studying how aphantasia affects memory and daydreaming."

Examples of aphantasia in a sentence →

How to use aphantasia

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishNot being able to picture things in your mind.

When to use it

It is a psychology and neurology term that has become familiar in everyday conversation.

Memory tip

Aphantasia is about mental images, while aphasia is about language, so keep the two apart.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

aphasia →

Common pairings

have aphantasia a person with aphantasia study aphantasia diagnosed with aphantasia

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Because of _____, she cannot picture her own living room when she closes her eyes.

Etymology

The word joins the prefix a-, meaning without, to phantasia, a Greek-derived word for appearance or image. The British neurologist Adam Zeman and his collaborators coined it in a 2015 article in the journal Cortex.

Origin: English

Antonyms

hyperphantasia

Rhymes for aphantasia

Odia aria ataxia abulia Latvia acacia LGBTQIA ectasia hryvnia begonia anaemia pronoia

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Frequently asked questions

What is aphantasia?

Aphantasia is a condition in which a person cannot create mental images. People with it have no functioning mind's eye.

Who coined the word aphantasia?

The neurologist Adam Zeman and his collaborators coined it in a 2015 article in the journal Cortex.

How do you pronounce aphantasia?

In American English it is commonly said ay-fan-TAY-zhuh, with the stress on the third syllable.

What is the meaning of aphantasia?

"aphantasia" (noun) means a condition in which a person cannot form mental pictures and so has no working mind's eye.