What does "pictured" mean?

1. (imagined) to have imagined or visualized something in your mind. 2. (shown in a photo) to be shown or represented in a photograph, painting, or drawing. 3. (containing pictures) describes something, like a book or a card, that has pictures in it.

pictured

v. · adj.

US //ˈpɪktʃɝd// UK //pˈɪktʃəd// pic·tured

1 imagined (v.)
B1 Intermediate

to have imagined or visualized something in your mind.

to have formed a mental image of a person, place, or situation.

Example

I had always pictured the city as being much larger than it actually was.

Example

She had pictured the reunion as a grand, emotional event, but the reality was far more subdued and awkward than her imagination had suggested.
2 shown in a photo (v.)
B1 Intermediate

to be shown or represented in a photograph, painting, or drawing.

to be represented or depicted in a visual medium such as a photograph or illustration.

Example

The famous actor is pictured on the front cover of the magazine.

Example

The suspect was pictured leaving the bank shortly before the alarm was triggered, providing the police with their first significant lead.
3 containing pictures (adj.)
C1 Advanced Formal

describes something, like a book or a card, that has pictures in it.

furnished with or containing illustrations or images; often used in specific contexts like 'pictured postcards'.

Example

She collected pictured postcards from every city she visited in Europe.

Example

The archive contains several pictured manuscripts from the fourteenth century, each featuring intricate gold-leaf borders and hand-painted scenes.
- illustrated
- pictorial
- unillustrated

Last updated June 20, 2026