English Dictionary

Define dictionary terms easily in our powerful online English dictionary.

Searching for...

No matching words found

Try a different search term or browse the dictionary

Definition imagine in British English

imagine verb

verb
/ɪˈmædʒɪn/
1

to form a picture of something or someone in your mind

Example

She tried to imagine the scene.

Example

Imagine that you are lying on a beach.

Example

Imagine yourself sitting behind your big new desk.

Example

I imagine him as a distinguished old gentleman.

Example

I think they imagine the company to be bigger than it is.

Synonyms and related words
1.1

to have an idea of what something is like or what it might be like

Example

It's hard to imagine a more unpleasant job.

Example

Imagine my surprise when they announced I had won!

Example

He had never imagined that digging was such hard work.

Example

You can imagine what the newspapers would do if they ever found out about this.

Example

I had fondly imagined that riding a camel would be easy.

Synonyms and related words
2

to have an idea that something exists or is happening, when in fact it does not exist or is not happening

Example

She always imagines the worst (=thinks the worst possible thing has happened).

Example

'There! I heard it again!' 'There's nothing there - you're just imagining things!'

Example

In these situations, you imagine everyone is laughing at you.

Synonyms and related words
3

used for showing that you are surprised by something or cannot believe it

Example

Imagine going out dressed like that!

Example

She now earns over 20 million dollars a film! Just imagine that!

Synonyms and related words
4

to think that something is probably true

Example

It's difficult, I imagine, to keep your interest alive after doing the job for 30 years.

Example

I imagine they've left already.

Synonyms and related words
Definition imagine in British English