as in imaginary
not real and existing only in the imagination
got needlessly upset about imagined dangers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in envisioned
to form a mental picture of
she was determined to have the wedding that she had always imagined
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in thought
to have as an opinion
I imagine that's true, but you still have to prove it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in guessed
to form an opinion from little or no evidence
I imagine things will change rapidly once we begin
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of imagined
Evan Bush, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
So, the transactional world is constantly pushing us out of the present and redirecting us to an imagined future.
—Bill Burnett, Big Think, 5 Feb. 2026
Del Col’s imagined protagonist is Pierre, a French bakery assistant who learns Hitler is his biological father.
—Rosemary Counter, Vanity Fair, 19 Jan. 2026
Taken together, the books on this list show narrators real and imagined grappling with some of life’s greatest challenges, and nevertheless surviving—as timely and valuable a message as readers can ask for.
—Lucy Feldman, Time, 9 Dec. 2025
Prompted by Einstein, the noncompliant witnesses in the 1950s reshaped the public discussion, refocusing the conversation on the importance of freedom of expression rather than the fears of imagined communist infiltration.
—Jodie Childers, The Conversation, 20 Nov. 2025
Stories, dreams, movies, poetry, and songs exist in real or imagined landscapes.
—Literary Hub, 14 Nov. 2025
Both blend horrific imagery in the real and imagined world, however.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Yet politicians often effectively leverage fears to garner votes, and companies routinely market unnecessary products that promise protection from imagined or exaggerated harms.
—Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 24 Oct. 2025
Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2026
From the kitchen comes an equally elegant menu of classics – think gorgeous local steaks, terrines and roasted Amish chicken plated with cockles – imagined with creativity and a deep understanding of European technique seen through a Tennessee lens.
—Usa Today Network, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
There are novels that will never be written, music that will never be recorded, innovative ideas that will never be imagined or executed, relationships that will never take flight, policies that will never see the light of day, because these neighborhoods no longer exist.
—Naomi Jackson, Curbed, 11 Feb. 2026
But the winning sash opened doors Chopra Jonas hadn’t imagined walking through.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 11 Feb. 2026
In the past, saviors have occasionally materialized, but rarely how a broken party imagined them.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
But it’s been tougher than people imagined.
—Paul Taylor, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
For, as of early summer 2026, the British Pullman welcomes Celia; an extraordinary new private dining and events carriage imagined and designed by visionary filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and Oscar-winning costume and production designer, Catherine Martin.
—Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Feb. 2026
In an early chapter of the book, excerpted here, MacDonald gives you a tour of the mind that imagined Mario, Zelda, Pikmin, and plenty more.
—Chris Plante, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
The experiments together suggest that Kanzi was able to distinguish an imagined scenario from the present reality and keep both in mind.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
So, the transactional world is constantly pushing us out of the present and redirecting us to an imagined future.
—Bill Burnett, Big Think, 5 Feb. 2026
Del Col’s imagined protagonist is Pierre, a French bakery assistant who learns Hitler is his biological father.
—Rosemary Counter, Vanity Fair, 19 Jan. 2026
Taken together, the books on this list show narrators real and imagined grappling with some of life’s greatest challenges, and nevertheless surviving—as timely and valuable a message as readers can ask for.
—Lucy Feldman, Time, 9 Dec. 2025
Prompted by Einstein, the noncompliant witnesses in the 1950s reshaped the public discussion, refocusing the conversation on the importance of freedom of expression rather than the fears of imagined communist infiltration.
—Jodie Childers, The Conversation, 20 Nov. 2025
Stories, dreams, movies, poetry, and songs exist in real or imagined landscapes.
—Literary Hub, 14 Nov. 2025
Both blend horrific imagery in the real and imagined world, however.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Yet politicians often effectively leverage fears to garner votes, and companies routinely market unnecessary products that promise protection from imagined or exaggerated harms.
—Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
Nelly herself is heavily reinterpreted by Fennell, imagined in this film as the illegitimate daughter of an aristocrat who serves as Cathy’s maid; the film also runs with modern readings of her character as a more proactive meddler in the doomed love between the main characters.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2026
From the kitchen comes an equally elegant menu of classics – think gorgeous local steaks, terrines and roasted Amish chicken plated with cockles – imagined with creativity and a deep understanding of European technique seen through a Tennessee lens.
—Usa Today Network, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
There are novels that will never be written, music that will never be recorded, innovative ideas that will never be imagined or executed, relationships that will never take flight, policies that will never see the light of day, because these neighborhoods no longer exist.
—Naomi Jackson, Curbed, 11 Feb. 2026
But the winning sash opened doors Chopra Jonas hadn’t imagined walking through.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 11 Feb. 2026
In the past, saviors have occasionally materialized, but rarely how a broken party imagined them.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
But it’s been tougher than people imagined.
—Paul Taylor, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
For, as of early summer 2026, the British Pullman welcomes Celia; an extraordinary new private dining and events carriage imagined and designed by visionary filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and Oscar-winning costume and production designer, Catherine Martin.
—Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Feb. 2026
In an early chapter of the book, excerpted here, MacDonald gives you a tour of the mind that imagined Mario, Zelda, Pikmin, and plenty more.
—Chris Plante, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imagined
Adjective
-
Your brain treats heartbreak like a physical injury That crushing feeling in your chest isn’t imaginary.—
Kyra Dahring,
CNN Money,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Lugers tilt to an imaginary track.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Patriots fans perhaps envisioned a repeat of Super Bowl LI in 2017, when Tom Brady led the Patriots back from a 28-3 deficit to beat the Atlanta Falcons.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
While still in his mid-20s, Gessner envisioned a Library of Universal Knowledge.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Lindsey showed that people can do it a lot longer than anybody thought.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Experts tell Flow Space that weight and BMI alone are not as strong indicators of health as once thought.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Judging from Tutto Mare’s debut, David guessed right.—
Rebecca Kleinman,
Footwear News,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Before Calla Lily's identity was revealed, Robin Thicke guessed Danielle Fishel, Rita Ora picked Selma Blair and Ken Jeong guessed Christina Applegate.—
Bebe Hodges,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The difference between documentary approaches and fictional approaches to a musical figure — at heart, there’s no difference at all.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
-
But in a first for Marvel, Abdul-Mateen II was not there as himself, but rather in character as Simon Williams to discuss the fictional Wonder Man movie that is central to season one of the Disney+ show.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
For the multitudes who dreamed of sipping their beer in the open air beneath the sunny skies on San Pedro Street in downtown San Jose, your day has arrived.—
Sal Pizarro,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Who hasn’t dreamed of a do-over?—
Rod Stafford Hagwood,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Priestesses once kept a sacred flame burning there day and night, believed to represent the life force of the city.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
-
In another universe, McCrae could have been played by Sigourney Weaver, but Disney's head of casting believed her unusual name could make life awkward for the film's marketing department.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Putin also assumed that a multipolar world would free him from American interference.—
Alan Cullison,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Without that data, the BLS assumed that no price increases had taken place during the month for most categories of goods and services.—
Greg Iacurci,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imagined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imagined. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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