imagination
Other forms: imaginations
Imagination refers to the process of forming images or concepts in the mind, often images of things that are not really there. That shark in your bathtub must have been in your imagination — or was it?
Often shunned for living in a dream world, imagination is behind unicorns, Big Foot, and excessive daydreaming. But it’s humans’ ability to picture what is not there, and to be resourceful and creative, that is behind many of our achievements. Maybe that’s why Albert Einstein said “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” After all, without a little imagination, we wouldn’t have the pyramids, the space shuttles, or the Star Wars trilogy.
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the ability to form mental images of things or events“he could still hear her in his imagination”synonyms: imagery, imaging, mental imagerytypes:mind's eyethe imaging of remembered or invented scenesvisiona vivid mental imageevocationimaginative re-creationnightmarea terrifying or deeply upsetting dreamprevisiona prophetic vision (as in a dream)retrovisiona vision of events in the distant pasttype of:representational processany basic cognitive process in which some entity comes to stand for or represent something else
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the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses“popular imagination created a world of demons”“imagination reveals what the world could be”synonyms: imaginativeness, visiontypes:fictitious place, imaginary place, mythical placea place that exists only in imagination; a place said to exist in fictional or religious writingsfancya kind of imagination that was held by Coleridge to be more casual and superficial than true imaginationimaginary being, imaginary creaturea creature of the imagination; a person that exists only in legends or myths or fictionafterworldthe place where you are after you dieAsgard(Norse mythology) the heavenly dwelling of the Norse gods (the Aesir) and slain war heroesAtlantisaccording to legend, an island in the Atlantic Ocean that Plato said was swallowed by an earthquakeBrobdingnaga land imagined by Jonathan Swift where everything was enormouscloud-cuckoo-landan imaginary place where you say people are when they seem optimistically out of touch with realityCockaigne(Middle Ages) an imaginary land of luxury and idlenessEl Dorado, eldoradoan imaginary place of great wealth and opportunity; sought in South America by 16th-century explorersHeaventhe abode of God and the angelsElysiuma place or condition of ideal happinessHell, Inferno, infernal region, nether region, perdition, pit(Christianity) the abode of Satan and the forces of evil; where sinners suffer eternal punishmentHouyhnhnmsa land imagined by Jonathan Swift where intelligent horses ruled the YahoosLaputaa land imagined by Jonathan Swift where impractical projects were pursued and practical projects neglectedLilliputa land imagined by Jonathan Swift that was inhabited by tiny peoplelimbo(theology) in Roman Catholicism, the place of unbaptized but innocent or righteous souls (such as infants and virtuous individuals)limboan imaginary place for lost or neglected thingsMidgard(Norse mythology) the abode of humans in Norse mythologypurgatory(theology) in Roman Catholic theology the place where those who have died in a state of grace undergo limited torment to expiate their sinsRuritaniaan imaginary kingdom in central Europe; often used as a scene for intrigue and romancespirit worldany imaginary place where spiritual beings (demons or fairies or angels or the like) abidewonderlandan imaginary realm of marvels or wondersfairyland, fantasy world, phantasy worldsomething existing solely in the imagination (but often mistaken for reality)air castle, castle in Spain, castle in the air, daydream, daydreaming, oneirism, reverie, reveryabsentminded dreaming while awakewoolgatheringan idle indulgence in fantasyhypothetical creaturea creature that has not been observed but is hypothesized to existmythical beingan imaginary being of myth or fablegiantan imaginary figure of superhuman size and strength; appears in folklore and fairy taleshobbitan imaginary being similar to a person but smaller and with hairy feet; invented by J.R.R. Tolkienmermaidhalf woman and half fish; lives in the seamermanhalf man and half fish; lives in the seaCadmus(Greek mythology) the brother of Europa and traditional founder of Thebes in Boeotiamonsteran imaginary creature usually having various human and animal partswitcha being (usually female) imagined to have special powers derived from the devilcharacter, fictional character, fictitious characteran imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)psychopompa conductor of souls to the afterworldsylphan elemental being believed to inhabit the airunicornan imaginary creature represented as a white horse with a long horn growing from its foreheadtype of:
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the ability to deal resourcefully with unusual problemssynonyms: resource, resourcefulness
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Vocabulary lists containing imagination
If you need inspiration for your next story or poem, be sure to review this list of words related to creative writing. We won't keep you in suspense: you'll learn all about plot, characterization, dialogue, and more.
If you need inspiration for your next story or poem, be sure to review this list of words related to creative writing. We won't keep you in suspense: you'll learn all about plot, characterization, dialogue, and more.
If you need inspiration for your next story or poem, be sure to review this list of words related to creative writing. We won't keep you in suspense: you'll learn all about plot, characterization, dialogue, and more.