I cannot conceive why she has done such a thing.
Source: tatoeba (24648)
Conceive
/kənˈsiːv/
Synonyms for "conceive" (326 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (66)
Verb(11 words)
absorbacceptaccount asanimateappreciateapprehendassimilateassumeauthorbe acquainted withbe afraidbe apprised ofbe aware ofbe cognizant ofbe conscious ofbe conversant withbe informedbe with onebearbeget
Show 31 more words
believebreathe life intobreedbring aboutbring forthbring into beingbring into existencebring to effectbring to lifebring to passcall into beingcall into existencecatchcatch oncausecerebratecogitablecogitatecognizecoincome with childcompasscomprehendconceitconceptualizeconcludeconcoctconjectureconjure upconsidercontrive
Noun(4 words)
Strong matches (97)
cook upcouchcouch in termscreatedaresaydeducedeemdesigndevelopdevisedigdigestdiscerndiscoverdivinedodreamdream upeffecteffectuate
Show 50 more words
embody in wordsendow with lifeenergizeengenderentertain ideasenvisageenvisionestablishesteemestimateevolveexcogitateexercise the mindexpectexperience imaginativelyexpressfabricatefancyfantasizefatherfathomfeaturefeelfictionalizefollowformform ideasformularizeformulatefoundframegathergenerategestategetget hold ofget the driftget the hang ofget the ideaget the picturegive being togive birthgive birth togive expression togive life togive occasion togive origin togive rise togive words togrant
Noun(13 words)
craftcraft plandesign descriptordesignsdevice functiondevisingdreamingdreamsenvisagingenvisioningfantasyinggerminated seedgestating
Verb(13 words)
createcreates artdevisedevise a proceduredeviseddevisesenvisagefertilizedformulateformulatedformulatinggestatedgestates
Adjective(1 words)
danish skabe
Related words (163)
graspguesshatchhavehave a hunchhave an ideahave an impressionhave an inklinghave information abouthave it tapedhave knowledge ofhave the ideaheedholdhold ashypothesizeideateimageimagineimprovise
Show 110 more words
inaugurateinferinspiritinstituteintellectualizeinventjudgekenknowlearnletlet belook upon asmaintainmakemake domake do withmake outmake upmarkmastermastermindmaturemeditatemintmoldnotenoticeobserveoccasionopineoriginateparagraphperceivephraseplanplotponderpositpossesspostulateprefigureprehendpresentpresumepresupposepresurmiseprocreateproduceprojectprovisionally acceptputput in wordsquickenreadrealizereasonreckonrecognizeregardremarkreputerhetorizeruminatesavvysayseeseizeseize the meaningsenseset afloatset down asset on footset outset upshapesirespawnspeculatestatestrike outstylesuggestsuperfetatesupposesurmisesuspecttaketake fortake for grantedtake intake ittake to bethinkthink outthink uptrowtwigunderstandview asvisionvisualizevitalizevivifyweenwitwordworkwotwot of
Verb(16 words)
Noun(16 words)
hatcheshatchinghatching processimagined settinginvent a gameinvent locallyinventingmastermindmastermindsoriginal workpicturespicturingplain designsprivately developedverb of creationvisions
Adjective(1 words)
one-off motif design
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: gestate, absorb, accept, account as, animate.
- Sentence evidence is available for conceive, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "conceive".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "conceive"
Keep "conceive" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "conceive" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "conceive", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "conceive" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
15 entriesbeliefchange statecognitioncreate by mental actcreate mentallyevaluatefertilityidea formationinterpretationjudgemental processpass judgmentreproductionturnunderstanding
More specific
12 entriesCollocations
5 entriesconceive a hypothesisconceive a planconceive a theoryconceive an ideaconceive of
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
6 entriesSample sentences
22 total sentences available.
We cannot conceive science without a hypothesis.
Source: tatoeba (25317)
I can't conceive how I could have made such a mistake.
Source: tatoeba (264550)
I can't conceive of her deceiving me.
Source: tatoeba (308331)
Showing 4 of 22 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "conceive"?
Closest matches include gestate, absorb, accept, account as, animate.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "conceive"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.