Word
conceive
Phoneticscon·ceive, stress on the second syllable
US/kənˈsiv/
UK/kənsˈiːv/
Definitions
01to form an idea
B2 · Upper Intermediate Academic
v. to think of a new idea or plan.
v. to form or devise a plan or idea in the mind. Often used in professional or creative contexts.
“The architect helped conceive the original design for the new library.”
“The research team struggled to conceive a methodology that would satisfy the rigorous requirements of the grant committee.”
02to imagine
C1 · Advanced Formal
v. to imagine something or believe it is possible.
v. to form a mental representation of something; to grasp a concept through imagination.
“It is hard to conceive of a world without the internet.”
“Ancient philosophers could hardly have conceived of a universe governed by the laws of quantum mechanics.”
03to become pregnant
C1 · Advanced Medicine Formal · Technical
v. to become pregnant with a baby.
v. to become pregnant with offspring; to begin the growth of an embryo within the womb.
Español:concebir
“The couple had been trying to conceive for several years.”
“Medical advancements have made it possible for many individuals who previously struggled with fertility to successfully conceive.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “conceive” in context.
Adverb
01. originally conceive
“The project was originally conceived as a small community garden before it expanded into a city park.”
adv + verb
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'of' when referring to imagining a possibility. The verb is transitive when referring to the creation of a specific plan or the act of becoming pregnant.
Pitfall
I cannot conceive how he did it
I cannot conceive of how he did it
When 'conceive' means to imagine or believe something is possible, it usually requires the preposition 'of'.
Real-World Examples
“It’s possible to conceive of Mine as a hallucinatory work of both environmental and social history.” “Conceived in 1979, it gave users topic-based newsgroups and a culture of distributed discussion that made online information feel social and communal before the first major web engines arrived.” Etymology
From Middle English conceyven, from Old French concevoir, conceveir, from Latin concipiō, concipere (“to devise, to conceive”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/conceive
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0