ENGLISH
REFERENCE

imagining

v. · n.
US //ˌɪˈmædʒənɪŋ// UK //ɪmˈædʒɪnɪŋ// imag·in·ing
  1. 1 forming a mental image (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the action of creating a picture or idea in your mind.

    the present participle of 'imagine', describing the process of forming a mental concept or image of something not present.

    Example

    I was imagining what it would be like to live on a tropical island.

    Example

    The architect spent hours imagining how the natural light would interact with the glass surfaces of the new atrium throughout the day.

    Usage

    often used in continuous tenses to describe an ongoing mental process.
  2. 2 thoughts or fantasies (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Literary

    the thoughts, worries, or fantasies that someone has in their mind.

    a mental image or a product of the imagination; often used in the plural to describe internal thoughts or suspicions.

    Example

    She tried to ignore her dark imaginings about what might go wrong.

    Example

    The poet's private imaginings were eventually published, revealing a complex inner world that few of his contemporaries had suspected.

    Usage

    frequently appears in the plural form 'imaginings'.

Last updated June 20, 2026