1
as in graphic
consisting of or relating to pictures
after a desensitizing series of imaginal exposures to the feared object, the phobic person is then exposed to the actual object
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in imaginary
not real and existing only in the imagination
the equator is merely an imaginal line
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of imaginal
Peter [Merry] likes to use is that, when a caterpillar is becoming a butterfly, new ‘imaginal cells’ emerge.
—
Big Think,
7 Aug. 2025
With one technique, for example—called imaginal exposure—you might be asked to visualize the process of going to the airport, boarding the plane, and experiencing a bad bout of turbulence.
—
Angela Haupt,
TIME,
10 May 2024
Mercury entering into Pisces turns up the imaginal juice.
—
USA TODAY,
23 Feb. 2024
Then, from bundles of cells known as imaginal disks, a new body takes form.
—
Elizabeth Kolbert,
The New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2023
Big Think,
7 Aug. 2025
With one technique, for example—called imaginal exposure—you might be asked to visualize the process of going to the airport, boarding the plane, and experiencing a bad bout of turbulence.
—
Angela Haupt,
TIME,
10 May 2024
Mercury entering into Pisces turns up the imaginal juice.
—
USA TODAY,
23 Feb. 2024
Then, from bundles of cells known as imaginal disks, a new body takes form.
—
Elizabeth Kolbert,
The New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imaginal
Adjective
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Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.
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Joe Kramm | Courtesy of Francis Interiors The gold background is a spread of bold graphic lines, undulating shapes and coiling circular motifs, referencing the work of French artist, sculptor and designer Jean Dunand (1877–1942).
Adjective
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In an age of visual and underground detection, why am I delayed at a traffic signal waiting for an imaginary vehicle to enter the intersection?
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This was long before the days of mo-cap or green screens, and acting with imaginary scene partners was far from the norm.
Adjective
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Read more about the heat dome and tips on staying cool in this visual explainer.
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But doing a documentary about a writer – that presents a much more difficult visual challenge.
Adjective
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Not to be outdone, Nintendo released a console of their own, the GameCube, which was a little underappreciated in its heyday, but has reached almost mythical status with the passage of time.
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Since her tragic death at age 36 in 1997, the almost mythical lure of her jewels has only grown.
Adjective
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Hailing from Taiwan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Macau, Malaysia, and Indonesia, the exhibition uses captivating photographic art to guide us into memories preserved within the images.
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Digital cameras had taken over nearly all areas of photographic production.
Adjective
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Aside from the fictional King Kong, who first appeared in a 1933 film atop the skyscraper, others in real life legally — and illegally — climbed the famous skyscraper.
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In honor of The Bear’s final season, Jono Pandolfi’s signature white and toasted clay dinnerware (featured in the fictional restaurant) is 15% off.
Adjective
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It was coined in Japan in the 1990s for small pictorial symbols used in electronic messaging.
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Each piece spells out a message—happiness, beauty, and magnificence—in the ancient pictorial writing.
Adjective
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The book traces the fictitious Yeoman family’s evolution over generations from self-sufficient homesteaders to participants in global markets.
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Hosting its usual presentation at its headquarters, located a stone’s throw from San Babila square, the brand installed video walls that broadcast a fictitious runway show created with the help of AI.
Cite this Entry
“Imaginal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imaginal. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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