conceive

Synonym Chooser

How is the word conceive distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of conceive are envisage, envision, fancy, imagine, realize, and think. While all these words mean "to form an idea of," conceive suggests the forming and bringing forth and usually developing of an idea, plan, or design.

conceived of a new marketing approach

How do envisage and envision relate to one another, in the sense of conceive?

Both 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 could fancy be used to replace conceive?

Although the words fancy and conceive have much in common, fancy suggests an imagining often unrestrained by reality but spurred by desires.

fancied himself a super athlete

In what contexts can imagine take the place of conceive?

While in some cases nearly identical to conceive, imagine stresses a visualization.

imagine you're at the beach

When would realize be a good substitute for conceive?

The synonyms realize and conceive are sometimes interchangeable, but realize stresses a grasping of the significance of what is conceived or imagined.

realized the enormity of the task ahead

When can think be used instead of conceive?

In some situations, the words think and conceive are roughly equivalent. However, 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 conceive Among the 1,300 works brought over for the exhibition, which was conceived in order to introduce American audiences to the modern art being made in Europe, was a roster of loans from 27 Rue de Fleurus, including Matisse’s Blue Nude and two Picasso still lifes. Via Scribner, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025 Additionally, a lightning conductor was installed that was conceived by sculptor Jan Dostál as an artwork titled Mikado. New Atlas, 6 Oct. 2025 When conceiving the hotel, Escobedo was mindful of the environment around Lake Bacalar. Simon Willis, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025 In a bid to increase his nation’s number of rug rats, Władysław Grochowski, owner of one of Poland’s biggest hotel chains, has pledged to throw a party for every couple who conceives while staying at his properties. Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for conceive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conceive
Verb
  • Maduro’s government intensified its campaign against dissent in the tense months before last year’s presidential election, targeting both real and imagined opponents in a sweeping crackdown on the opposition.
    Barney Henderson, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Here and in many of her writings Stowe imagined Christ as a mediator capable of elevating all Christians to heaven.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Here, settler colonialism is understood as a form of environmental injustice, where pollution and degraded landscapes diminish Indigenous quality of life and ability to be in right relationship with the environment.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 11 Oct. 2025
  • First, understand what the ruling means.
    Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Advertisement Tom also learned from Maeve that Robbie and Cliff (Raúl Castillo) thought the Episode 4 drug meetup was going down at a different park than the FBI sting operation was set to take place at.
    Megan McCluskey, Time, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Brad’s choice is always thinking about who is the person that is going to make this experience a more enjoyable one, rather than who is the best person for the job.
    Leia Mendoza, Variety, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The founders envision the store evolving organically as a blank canvas shaped by the neighborhood and scene.
    Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Latu said he’s already envisioned sacking Arizona’s Kyler Murray (or backup Jacoby Brissett if Murray’s foot injury keeps him sidelined).
    James Boyd, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Both knew each other from their work for 100 Black Men of America, where Gatlin had been an executive before joining the Foundation.
    Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
  • Deborah McGregor, an Anishinaabe scholar from Whitefish River First Nation, defines and discusses the concept of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), sometimes also known as Indigenous Ecological Knowledge or Indigenous Ecological Wisdom.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Under the agreement, accepted by both parties this week, Hamas will return all living hostages—believed to be around 20—in exchange for roughly 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and about 1,700 detainees from Gaza.
    Eric Cortellessa, Time, 11 Oct. 2025
  • The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • With a swath of apps taking betting from the casino to one’s pocket, the industry has captured the interest of Gen Z, who saw a 7% year-over-year increase in online sports betting activity as of 2025’s second quarter, TransUnion found in a report released last month.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025
  • His team sees the deal as a start, not an ending.
    Eric Cortellessa, Time, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The rest of the women are in swimsuits … because Mel still can’t comprehend that women over 45 are hot.
    Ali Barthwell, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
  • This loss is especially difficult to comprehend.
    Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 28 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Conceive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conceive. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.

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