You say Nessie is an imaginary being, but I think she exists.
Source: tatoeba (16438)
Imaginary
/ɪˈmæd͡ʒɪnəɹi/
Synonyms for "imaginary" (176 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (36)
Adjective(2 words)
alien landdreamier
Noun(3 words)
Strong matches (52)
Noun(8 words)
Adjective(12 words)
fancifulfantasy worldfictional beingfictional characterfictional filmfictional monsterfictional organismfictional topicsfictional worldfictional worldsfictitioushypothetical conclusion
Verb(1 words)
Related words (88)
imaginationalimaginativeimaginedimmaterialimpairimpossibleinfiniteinsubstantialintegralirrationallegendarylogarithmiclogometricmade-upmerely nominalmisleadingmysticmythicmythicalmythological
Show 53 more words
negativenonexistentnot realnotionalnumeralnumerarynumerativenumericnumericaloddordinalostensiblepairphantasmagoricphantasmalphantasmicphantomphantomlikepositivepossiblepretendedprimequixoticradicalrarefiedrationalrealreciprocalromanticseemingself-deceptiveself-deludingshadowyspeciousspectralspirituoussubmultiplesubtilesubtlesupposititioussurdtenuoustranscendentalunactualunfoundedunrealunrealisticunsubstantialuntruevaporousvisionalvisionarywindy
Adjective(12 words)
imagined entitymythicalmythical creaturemythical heromythological figurenonphysical worldnonrealnonrealisticnot realnotionalruritanianunreal
Verb(1 words)
Determiner(2 words)
most greek mythologyno ground
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: abstract, academic, air built, air-built, airy.
- Sentence evidence is available for imaginary, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, wordnet, opengloss, 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 "imaginary".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "imaginary"
Keep "imaginary" 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 "imaginary" 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 "imaginary", 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 "imaginary" 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
5 entriesMore specific
5 entriesCollocations
5 entriesimaginary friendimaginary numberimaginary solutionimaginary unitimaginary world
Inflections
2 entriesmore imaginarymost imaginary
Derivations
3 entriessimilar
1 entriesTranslations
20 translations across 18 languages.
Afrikaans
1 entries- imaginêr adj (non-real part of a complex number)
Basque
1 entries- irudikari adj (non-real part of a complex number)
Bulgarian
1 entries- имагине́рен adj (non-real part of a complex number)
Czech
1 entries- imaginární adj (non-real part of a complex number)
Dutch
1 entries- imaginair adj (non-real part of a complex number)
Finnish
2 entries- imaginaari- adj (non-real part of a complex number)
- imaginaarinen adj (non-real part of a complex number)
Galician
1 entries- imaxinario adj (non-real part of a complex number)
German
1 entries- imaginär adj (non-real part of a complex number)
Greek
1 entries- φανταστικός adj (non-real part of a complex number)
Hungarian
2 entries- imaginárius adj (non-real part of a complex number)
- képzetes adj (non-real part of a complex number)
Indonesian
1 entries- imajiner adj (non-real part of a complex number)
Latvian
1 entries- imaginārs adj (non-real part of a complex number)
Polish
1 entries- urojona adj (non-real part of a complex number)
Portuguese
1 entries- imaginário adj (non-real part of a complex number)
Russian
1 entries- мни́мый adj (non-real part of a complex number)
Spanish
1 entries- imaginario adj (non-real part of a complex number)
Swedish
1 entries- imaginär adj (non-real part of a complex number)
Tamil
1 entries- கற்பனை adj (non-real part of a complex number)
Sample sentences
17 total sentences available.
I don't believe that Santa Claus is imaginary.
Source: tatoeba (53933)
All the characters in this book are imaginary.
Source: tatoeba (57077)
All the events described in this story are imaginary.
Source: tatoeba (57262)
Showing 4 of 17 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "imaginary"?
Closest matches include abstract, academic, air built, air-built, airy.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "imaginary"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.