imagination

The ability to picture things in your mind that are not really present or happening.

• Use your imagination to picture a beach.
• The child has a vivid imagination.
• Was that noise real, or just my imagination?

How to use it: in someone’s imagination (The monster exists only in his imagination.)

Common phrases: use your imagination, a vivid imagination, in your imagination, mental imagination

The ability to think of new ideas or interesting ways to do things.

• This design shows great imagination.
• She used her imagination to solve the problem.
• The team needs someone with more imagination.

Similar words: creativity, inventiveness

Common phrases: show imagination, creative imagination, lack of imagination, a little imagination

Things you picture in your mind that are not real.

• The footsteps were only in my imagination.
• Her imagination turned every shadow into a monster.
• Was that sound real, or was it my imagination?

Similar words: fantasy

Common phrases: your imagination, just imagination, overactive imagination