imaginary
adjective
imag·i·nary
i-ˈma-jə-ˌner-ē 
-ˌne-rē
1
a
: existing only in imagination : lacking factual reality
an imaginary friend
b
: formed or characterized imaginatively or arbitrarily
His canvases, chiefly imaginary, somber landscapes …—
Current Biography
Current Biography2
: containing or relating to the imaginary unit
imaginary roots
Synonyms of imaginary
Examples of imaginary in a Sentence
The two groups were separated by an imaginary line down the middle of the room.
an imaginary world of dragons and unicorns
Recent Examples on the Web
Nearly a quarter of Section murals include Indigenous figures, ranging in tone from romantic to racist, evidence of their prominent but equivocal place in the historical imaginary.
—John P. Murphy, ARTnews.com, 5 Apr. 2026
Engendered by the ubiquity of stable and robust WiFi and the incredible power of the smartphone’s system-on-a-chip design, the smart everything era demonstrates the full transfer of the smartness imaginary.
—Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026
Following Christopher Columbus’ first voyage, the rulers of Portugal and Spain, by the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494), partitioned the non-Christian world between them by an imaginary line in the Atlantic, 370 leagues (about 1,300 miles) west of the Cape Verde Islands.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
The new episodes will introduce Logan, a Las Vegas native who wants to trade his imaginary girlfriend for a real one, and Emma, a Mormon in Utah who dreams of wearing her mother's wedding dress at the altar.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for imaginary
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John P. Murphy, ARTnews.com, 5 Apr. 2026
Engendered by the ubiquity of stable and robust WiFi and the incredible power of the smartphone’s system-on-a-chip design, the smart everything era demonstrates the full transfer of the smartness imaginary.
—Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026
Following Christopher Columbus’ first voyage, the rulers of Portugal and Spain, by the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494), partitioned the non-Christian world between them by an imaginary line in the Atlantic, 370 leagues (about 1,300 miles) west of the Cape Verde Islands.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
The new episodes will introduce Logan, a Las Vegas native who wants to trade his imaginary girlfriend for a real one, and Emma, a Mormon in Utah who dreams of wearing her mother's wedding dress at the altar.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for imaginary
Cite this Entry
“Imaginary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imaginary. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
imaginary
adjective
imag·i·nary
im-ˈaj-ə-ˌner-ē
: existing only in imagination : not real
unicorns are imaginary
Medical Definition
imaginary
adjective
imag·i·nary
im-ˈaj-ə-ˌner-ē
: existing only in imagination : lacking factual reality
imaginary fears
an imaginary illness
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