visualize

verb

vi·​su·​al·​ize ˈvi-zhə-wə-ˌlīz 

ˈvi-zhə-ˌlīz, 

ˈvizh-wə-ˌlīz

visualized; visualizing

transitive verb

: to make visible: such as

a

: to see or form a mental image of : envisage

trying to visualize the problem

b

: to make (an internal organ or part) visible by radiographic visualization

intransitive verb

: to form a mental visual image

Synonyms of visualize

• imagine
• envision
• see
• picture

Examples of visualize in a Sentence

She tried to visualize the scene he was describing.

Before you swing, visualize yourself hitting the ball.

Recent Examples on the Web

The New York air somehow grew hotter; Pok could visualize the rain sizzling off his skin. —Danielle Parker, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026

What had germinated in marble in Italy was ready to evolve from three-dimensional cubes to four-dimensional information that could visualize some of the project’s possible permutations. —Katherine Rochester, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2026

The data analyst who visualizes information in a way that makes invisible patterns suddenly obvious. —Ryan Roslansky aneesh Raman, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2026

By combining ultrashort laser pulses with electron beams, the researchers were able to directly visualize how light interacts with metallic nanoframes and how the resulting electromagnetic fields are distributed and change over time. —Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for visualize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• characterize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize

Kids Definition

visualize

verb

vi·​su·​al·​ize ˈvizh-(ə-)wə-ˌlīz 

ˈvizh-ə-ˌlīz

visualized; visualizing

: to make visible

especially : to form a mental image of

Medical Definition

visualize

transitive verb

vi·​su·​al·​ize

variants also British visualise

ˈvizh-(ə-)wə-ˌlīz, ˈvizh-ə-ˌlīz 

visualized also British visualised; visualizing also British visualising

: to make visible: as

a

: to see or form a mental image of

b

: to make (an organ) visible by radiographic visualization

visualize the gallbladder

c

: to prepare (as an organism or tissue) for microscopic examination especially by staining