Thesaurus results for ENVISAGE

Q: How is the word 'envisage' distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of envisage are conceive , envision , fancy , imagine , realize , and think . While all these words mean "to form an idea of," envisage and envision imply a conceiving or imagining that is especially clear or detailed. // envisaged a totally computerized operation // envisioned a cure for the disease

Q: When is 'conceive' a more appropriate choice than 'envisage'?

The synonyms conceive and envisage are sometimes interchangeable, but conceive suggests the forming and bringing forth and usually developing of an idea, plan, or design. // conceived of a new marketing approach

Q: In what contexts can 'fancy' take the place of 'envisage'?

The words fancy and envisage can be used in similar contexts, but fancy suggests an imagining often unrestrained by reality but spurred by desires. // fancied himself a super athlete

Q: When might 'imagine' be a better fit than 'envisage'?

While the synonyms imagine and envisage are close in meaning, imagine stresses a visualization. // imagine you're at the beach

Q: When could 'realize' be used to replace 'envisage'?

The meanings of realize and envisage largely overlap; however, realize stresses a grasping of the significance of what is conceived or imagined. // realized the enormity of the task ahead

Q: Where would 'think' be a reasonable alternative to 'envisage'?

Although the words think and envisage have much in common, think implies the entrance of an idea into one's mind with or without deliberate consideration or reflection. // I just thought of a good joke

envisage

verb

in-ˈvi-zij

Definition of envisage

as in to imagine

to form a mental picture of I'm trying to envisage you on a surfboard

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Synonym Chooser

How is the word envisage distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of envisage are conceive, envision, fancy, imagine, realize, and think. While all these words mean "to form an idea of," envisage and envision imply a conceiving or imagining that is especially clear or detailed.

envisaged a totally computerized operation

envisioned a cure for the disease

When is conceive a more appropriate choice than envisage?

The synonyms conceive and envisage are sometimes interchangeable, but conceive suggests the forming and bringing forth and usually developing of an idea, plan, or design.

conceived of a new marketing approach

In what contexts can fancy take the place of envisage?

The words fancy and envisage can be used in similar contexts, but fancy suggests an imagining often unrestrained by reality but spurred by desires.

fancied himself a super athlete

When might imagine be a better fit than envisage?

While the synonyms imagine and envisage are close in meaning, imagine stresses a visualization.

imagine you're at the beach

When could realize be used to replace envisage?

The meanings of realize and envisage largely overlap; however, realize stresses a grasping of the significance of what is conceived or imagined.

realized the enormity of the task ahead

Where would think be a reasonable alternative to envisage?

Although the words think and envisage have much in common, think implies the entrance of an idea into one's mind with or without deliberate consideration or reflection.

I just thought of a good joke

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of envisage The transitional government's dissolution was envisaged as part of the road map to elections. — ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026 Significantly more advanced than the Lego Apollo Lunar Rover, this set envisages the engineering that could support future moon exploration. — Chris McMullen, Space.com, 22 Sep. 2026 Things can always change quickly, but Everton do not currently envisage bringing in a free agent to bolster their striker options. — Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026 Swift, who was deeply learned, was envisaging a nightmare world in which reading and writing — the essential foundation of wit and wisdom — are replaced by a flashy simulation of human knowledge. — Dónal Gill, The Dial, 8 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for envisage

Recent Examples of Synonyms for envisage

Verb

Yet their willingness to talk, listen, and imagine what had seemed impossible helped lay the groundwork for historic nuclear arms reductions.

— Halla Tómasdóttir, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
The sense that a resume goes straight into a black box isn’t imagined – applications per job have more than doubled since 2022, and the average company now has 56% fewer recruiters to review them.

— Owen Humphries, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of imagine

Verb

Johan Enslin, an ARPA-E program director, envisions a grid in which power can be converted, directed and managed automatically—much like the way data are routed around the Internet—rather than merely stepped up or down.

— Alex Pasternack, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Advocates envision it as a bucket-list destination akin to the Pacific Crest Trail and an economic driver for struggling rural towns.

— Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of envision

Verb

Protesters, many of whom have been seen carrying Palestinian flags, have set fire to historic buildings and attacked civilians.

— Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 20 Oct. 2026
American Transmission Company, a utility firm that develops and manages high-voltage transmission lines, has seen rapid growth, in part thanks to the AI and data center buildout.

— Ted Kitterman, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of see

Browse Nearby Words

environs

envisage

envisaged

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Envisage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/envisage. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of envisage

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes