imagine

/ɪˈmæd͡ʒ.ɪn/

//ɪˈmæd͡ʒ.ɪn// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"imagine" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“imagine” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,272 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#1,272
frequency rank, English
7
letters
9
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To form a mental image of something; to envision or create something in one's mind.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

imagine vs imagined
88% similar
imagine vs imagines
88% similar
imagine vs image
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for imagine
PropertyValue
Headwordimagine
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪˈmæd͡ʒ.ɪn/
Letters7
Frequency rank#1,272
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “imagine” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). imagine lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for imagine is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪˈmæd͡ʒ.ɪn/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,272 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for imagine, with forms such as "iamgine", "imaggine", and "imagien". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "imagined", "imagines", "image", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English ymagynen, from Middle French imaginer, from Latin imāginor, from imāginem, the accusative singular of imāgō (“a copy, likeness, image”). The correct English form is imagine, spelled I-M-A-G-I-N-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To form a mental image of something; to envision or create something in one's mind.
  2. 2
    To believe in something created by one's own mind, often something false.
  3. 3
    To assume; to suppose.
  4. 4
    To conjecture; to guess.
  5. 5
    To use one's imagination.
  6. 6
    To contrive in purpose; to scheme; to devise.
  7. 7
    Used to mock an idea by suggesting that it is ridiculous or ill thought through.

Etymology

From Middle English ymagynen, from Middle French imaginer, from Latin imāginor, from imāginem, the accusative singular of imāgō (“a copy, likeness, image”).

Synonyms

ween

This word in other languages

imaginar(Español)imaginer(Français)vorstellen(Deutsch)imaginar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: iamgine,imaggine,imagien,imaginne,imagnie,imaigne,imgaine,immagine,miagine

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of imagine - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

iamgine2imaggine1imagien2imaginne1imagnie2imaigne2imgaine2immagine1
Edit distance from "imagine"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "imagine"?
"imagine" is spelled I-M-A-G-I-N-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪˈmæd͡ʒ.ɪn/.
What does "imagine" mean?
As a verb, "imagine" means: To form a mental image of something; to envision or create something in one's mind.
What words are commonly confused with "imagine"?
"imagine" is commonly confused with "imagined", "imagines", "image". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "imagine"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "imagine" is /ɪˈmæd͡ʒ.ɪn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "imagine"?
From Middle English ymagynen, from Middle French imaginer, from Latin imāginor, from imāginem, the accusative singular of imāgō (“a copy, likeness, image”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “imagine”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is I-M-A-G-I-N-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪˈmæd͡ʒ.ɪn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “imagined” - see the side-by-side comparison. imagine vs imagined
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list