What does imaginable mean?
Imagaginable is an adjective meaning that something can be imagined, conceived, or pictured in the mind. It is commonly used to describe consequences, scenarios, possibilities, difficulties, or extremes that seem difficult to appreciate. For example, a writer might say that the suffering caused by a disaster was unimaginable to emphasize its extraordinary scale, or that investigators considered every imaginable explanation. Although the word can sometimes suggest that something is conceivable in principle, it is most often used rhetorically to express surprise or to heighten the seriousness of a situation. Imagined is a related word, but it describes a person or thing that forms ideas in the mind, while unimaginable conveys the opposite meaning. The word is especially common in formal journalism, academic writing, and serious public discussion.
adjectiveCapable of being imagined; able to be conceived or pictured, though not necessarily possible in reality.
- Able to be imagined, conceived, or mentally pictured; possible to envisage.
"The consequences of such a policy are barely imaginable."
"The scale of the disaster was unimaginable."
"We need to consider every imaginable cause before drawing a conclusion."
Some of history's worst outcomes were once dismissed as unimaginable, until they happened.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does imaginable come from?
Imagaginable is formed from imagine, a word that entered English in the late Middle English period and comes ultimately from Latin imaginari, meaning to form an image or picture. The suffix -able was added to create an adjective expressing that something can be imagined. The same Latin root appears in related English words such as imagination, imaginary, and imaginative.
Related word forms
How imaginable is actually used
Common in formal and journalistic writing. It often expresses surprise, exaggeration, or the idea that a possibility is difficult to conceive; it does not necessarily mean that something is objectively possible.
Easily confused with imaginable
Imagine is a verb meaning to form a mental picture or idea, whereas imaginable is an adjective describing something that can be imagined.
Imaginable means something can be conceived, while unimaginable means it is too extreme or extraordinary to be imagined.