Imagination Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

English Language Learners Definition of imagination · the ability to imagine things that are not real : the ability to form a picture in your mind of something ... Login SignUp Hello, Games&Quizzes Thesaurus WordoftheDay Features BuyingGuide M-WBooks MyWordsMyWords ViewRecents Account LogOut imagination noun SaveWord imag·​i·​na·​tion |\i-ˌma-jə-ˈnā-shən \ Definitionofimagination 1 :theactorpowerofformingamentalimageofsomethingnotpresenttothesensesorneverbeforewhollyperceivedinreality 2a :creativeability b :abilitytoconfrontanddealwithaproblem:resourcefulness useyourimaginationandgetusoutofhere c :thethinkingoractivemind:interest storiesthatfiredtheimagination 3a :acreationofthemind especially :anidealizedorpoeticcreation b :fancifuloremptyassumption Synonyms ExampleSentences LearnMoreAboutimagination Synonymsforimagination Synonyms contrivance, creativity, fancy, fantasy (alsophantasy), ideation, imaginativeness, invention, inventiveness, originality VisittheThesaurusforMore  ExamplesofimaginationinaSentence Youcanfindasolutionifyouusealittleimagination. Theauthordoesnottelluswhathappenstothecharacters.Wehavetouseourimagination. He'sacompetentwriter,buthelacksimagination. Isitjustmyimagination,orisitgettingwarminhere? SeeMore RecentExamplesontheWeb Placinginnovative-mindedfolkstogetherinatighturbanclusterdevotedtoinspiration,imaginationandinventivenessissheergenius. — JeffreySteele,Forbes,26Dec.2021 Theirrankshadbeenthinnedbeyondanyone’swildestimagination. — JonasShaffer,baltimoresun.com,26Dec.2021 Othershelpedjoltreadersoutofroutines,andstretchedtheimagination. — TheAtlanticCultureDesk,TheAtlantic,24Dec.2021 EvenapostmodernsensationliketheinventorandentrepreneurJayS.Walker’slibrary,builtin2002inRidgefield,Conn.—whichisdedicatedtothehistoryofhumanimaginationandlaidoutlikeanM.C. — NewYorkTimes,24Dec.2021 Rogersfullyleanedintothespontaneityofimaginationandlife’sserendipitytocreateuniquemoments. — GregEmmanuel,Essence,21Dec.2021 Mymother,Mary,wasawriterwithamarvelousimaginationwhowaspragmaticandgrounded. — MarcMyers,WSJ,21Dec.2021 Herbookgreetsuswithanimpressiverosterofwomen,includingpoetRupiKaurandwriterLeticiaSala,whoattesttoherdynamicspiritandimagination. — WiredPhotoDepartment,Wired,21Dec.2021 Byredoisrenownedforproducingluxurious,left-of-centerfragrances,andMumbaiNoisefollowsthismavericktraditionofimaginationandexploration. — KirstieClements,Vogue,20Dec.2021 Theseexamplesentencesareselectedautomaticallyfromvariousonlinenewssourcestoreflectcurrentusageoftheword'imagination.'ViewsexpressedintheexamplesdonotrepresenttheopinionofMerriam-Websteroritseditors.Sendusfeedback. SeeMore FirstKnownUseofimagination 14thcentury,inthemeaningdefinedatsense1 HistoryandEtymologyforimagination MiddleEnglishymaginacioun,borrowedfromAnglo-French&Latin;Anglo-Frenchymaginacion,borrowedfromLatinimāginātiōn-,imāginātiō,fromimāginārī"toimagine"+-tiōn-,-tiō,suffixofverbalaction LearnMoreAboutimagination Shareimagination PosttheDefinitionofimaginationtoFacebook SharetheDefinitionofimaginationonTwitter TimeTravelerforimagination Thefirstknownuseofimaginationwas inthe14thcentury Seemorewordsfromthesamecentury DictionaryEntriesNearimagination imaginaryunit imagination imaginational SeeMoreNearbyEntries  PhrasesRelatedtoimagination afigmentofone'simagination byany/nostretchoftheimagination capturesomeone'simagination Statisticsforimagination LastUpdated 30Dec2021 Look-upPopularity CitethisEntry “Imagination.”Merriam-Webster.comDictionary,Merriam-Webster,https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imagination.Accessed31Dec.2021. Style:MLA MLA Chicago APA Merriam-Webster MoreDefinitionsforimagination imagination noun EnglishLanguageLearnersDefinitionofimagination :theabilitytoimaginethingsthatarenotreal:theabilitytoformapictureinyourmindofsomethingthatyouhavenotseenorexperienced :theabilitytothinkofnewthings :somethingthatonlyexistsorhappensinyourmind SeethefulldefinitionforimaginationintheEnglishLanguageLearnersDictionary imagination noun imag·​i·​na·​tion |\i-ˌma-jə-ˈnā-shən \ KidsDefinitionofimagination 1 :theact,process,orpowerofformingamentalpictureofsomethingnotpresentandespeciallyofsomethingapersonhasnotknownorexperienced Herimaginationkeptherentertainedonthelongride. 2 :creativeability Herstoryshowsgreatimagination. 3 :acreationofthemind Isitjustmyimaginationorarewemoving? imagination noun imag·​i·​na·​tion |\im-ˌaj-ə-ˈnā-shən \ Medical Definitionofimagination :anactorprocessofformingaconsciousideaormentalimageofsomethingneverbeforewhollyperceivedinrealitybytheoneformingtheimages(asthroughasynthesisofrememberedelementsofprevioussensoryexperiencesorideasasmodifiedbyunconsciousdefensemechanisms) also :theabilityorgiftofformingsuchconsciousideasormentalimagesespeciallyforthepurposesofartisticorintellectualcreation MorefromMerriam-Websteronimagination Nglish:TranslationofimaginationforSpanishSpeakers BritannicaEnglish:TranslationofimaginationforArabicSpeakers Britannica.com:Encyclopediaarticleaboutimagination WORDOFTHEDAY zeitgeist SeeDefinitionsandExamples» GetWordoftheDaydailyemail! 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