imaginary

adjective

imag·​i·​nary i-ˈma-jə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce imaginary (audio)
-ˌne-rē
Synonyms of imaginary
1
a
: existing only in imagination : lacking factual reality
an imaginary friend
b
: formed or characterized imaginatively or arbitrarily
His canvases, chiefly imaginary, somber landscapes …—Current Biography
2
: containing or relating to the imaginary unit
imaginary roots
imaginarily
i-ˌma-jə-ˈner-ə-lē How to pronounce imaginary (audio)
adverb
imaginariness
i-ˈma-jə-ˌner-ē-nəs How to pronounce imaginary (audio)
noun

Synonyms of imaginary

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imaginary, fanciful, visionary, fantastic, chimerical, quixotic mean unreal or unbelievable.

imaginary applies to something which is fictitious and purely the product of one's imagination.

an imaginary desert isle

fanciful suggests the free play of the imagination.

a teller of fanciful stories

visionary stresses impracticality or incapability of realization.

visionary schemes

fantastic implies incredibility or strangeness beyond belief.

a fantastic world inhabited by monsters

chimerical combines the implication of visionary and fantastic.

chimerical dreams of future progress

quixotic implies a devotion to romantic or chivalrous ideals unrestrained by ordinary prudence and common sense.

a quixotic crusade

Examples of imaginary in a Sentence

The two groups were separated by an imaginary line down the middle of the room. an imaginary world of dragons and unicorns
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The midfielder was booked for waving an imaginary yellow card, shown a straight red for violent conduct and also gave away a goal. — Stuart James, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Out on a wooden platform extending over San Diego’s Mission Bay, young women sway from side to side, riding an imaginary wave to the beats. — Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Young kids love to play store, but an imaginary shop in the living room is more than just a fun way for your child to exercise their imagination. — Anna Attkisson Published, Parents, 21 Aug. 2026 Just before the pandemic, Manhattan’s MCC Theater staged a show called All the Natalie Portmans, about a gay Black teenage cinephile who envisions the actor as a kind of manic pixie imaginary friend. — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for imaginary

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ymaginarie, borrowed from Latin imāginārius "unreal, fictitious (in law)," from imāgin-, imāgō "representation, semblance, image entry 1" + -ārius -ary entry 2

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of imaginary was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing imaginary

Rhymes for imaginary

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Browse Nearby Words

imaginariness
imaginary
imaginary number
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Cite this Entry

“Imaginary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imaginary. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

imaginary

adjective
imag·​i·​nary im-ˈaj-ə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce imaginary (audio)
: existing only in imagination : not real
unicorns are imaginary

Medical Definition

imaginary

adjective
imag·​i·​nary im-ˈaj-ə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce imaginary (audio)
: existing only in imagination : lacking factual reality
imaginary fears
an imaginary illness
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