English Reference

Word

envisaged

Phoneticsen·vis·aged

US/ɛnˈvɪzɪdʒd/

UK/ɛnvˈɪsɪdʒd/

Definition

adj. imagined as a future possibility. You use this to describe a plan or situation that someone has pictured in their mind.

adj. conceived of or imagined as a future possibility or result. Often functions as a participial adjective describing a planned or predicted outcome.

Examples

“The project is much bigger than originally envisaged.”

“The architect presented the envisaged layout for the new park, showing where the trees and benches would go.”

“The treaty aimed to create a zone of economic cooperation, though the envisaged level of integration proved difficult to achieve given the political climate of the decade.”

Examples

simple

“The project is much bigger than originally envisaged.”

contextual

“The architect presented the envisaged layout for the new park, showing where the trees and benches would go.”

complex

“The treaty aimed to create a zone of economic cooperation, though the envisaged level of integration proved difficult to achieve given the political climate of the decade.”

Usage

Often appears after 'originally', 'initially', or 'previously' to contrast a past plan with current reality.

Real-World Examples

“Robin Hardy always envisaged his iconic 1973 folk horror film The Wicker Man as the first part of a trilogy.”
BBC News · 23 Aug 2026
“This dreadful defeat was not the start he or the Spurs power brokers envisaged.”
BBC News · 22 Aug 2026

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference