Synonyms of envisage

envisage

verb

in-ˈvi-zij 

as in to imagine

to form a mental picture of

I'm trying to envisage you on a surfboard

Synonyms & Similar Words

• imagine
• envision
• see
• conceive
• dream
• picture
• visualize
• vision
• fantasize
• feature
• contemplate
• fantasy
• fancy
• conjure (up)
• image
• plan
• conceit
• ideate
• foresee
• daydream
• reflect
• ponder
• invent
• concoct
• relive
• ruminate
• prefigure
• manufacture
• reminisce
• muse
• meditate
• hallucinate
• project
• re-create
• make up
• fabricate
• stargaze

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

Recent Examples of envisage

The force being envisaged by France and Britain would aim to reassure Ukraine and deter another large-scale Russian offensive after any cease-fire, the official said. —John Leicester, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2025

Both projects envisage next-generation fighter jets that are critical for European defense. —Liz Alderman, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025

While Porro and her team hosted events in New York, Hong Kong and Shanghai last year, the last foreign edition of the fair took place at the Shanghai Exhibition Center before the COVID-19 pandemic and was envisaged as a showcase for Made in Italy products and the Italian way of living in Shanghai. —Sofia Celeste, WWD, 27 Jan. 2025

Unlike the treaty with Pyongyang, the pact with Tehran doesn’t envisage mutual assistance in case of aggression. —Vladimir Isachenkov, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025

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