envision

verb

en·​vi·​sion in-ˈvi-zhən How to pronounce envision (audio)
en-
envisioned; envisioning; envisions

transitive verb

: to picture to oneself
envisions a career dedicated to promoting peace
Choose the Right Synonym for envision

think, conceive, imagine, fancy, realize, envisage, envision mean to form an idea of.

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

conceive suggests the forming and bringing forth and usually developing of an idea, plan, or design.

conceived of a new marketing approach

imagine stresses a visualization.

imagine you're at the beach

fancy suggests an imagining often unrestrained by reality but spurred by desires.

fancied himself a super athlete

realize stresses a grasping of the significance of what is conceived or imagined.

realized the enormity of the task ahead

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

Examples of envision in a Sentence

The inventor envisioned many uses for his creation. She envisioned a better life for herself.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The property was once envisioned as the site of a high school but now sits vacant. Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024 But perhaps the greatest danger now posed by Russia’s nuclear weapons storage sites is the one that was originally envisioned after the Cold War’s end: that is, the danger that warheads could be seized by a small, rogue group of fighters. William M. Moon, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2024 One of their disputes was reportedly related to Horizon: An American Saga, a film envisioned by Costner as a four-part series. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024 Two years ago, no one would’ve envisioned Saint Thomas as the focal point of a college offense. Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for envision 

Word History

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of envision was in 1855

Dictionary Entries Near envision

Cite this Entry

“Envision.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/envision. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

envision

verb
en·​vi·​sion in-ˈvizh-ən How to pronounce envision (audio)
: to picture to oneself
envisions herself as a doctor
could not envision the building from the description

More from Merriam-Webster on envision

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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