Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense envisages, present participle envisaging, past tense, past participle envisaged
verb
If you envisage something, you imagine that it is true, real, or likely to happen.
He envisages the possibility of establishing direct diplomatic relations in the future. [VERB noun]
He had never envisaged spending the whole of his working life in that particularjob. [VERB verb-ing]
Personally, I envisage them staying together. [VERB noun verb-ing]
[Also VERB that]
More Synonyms of envisage
envisage in British English
(ɪnˈvɪzɪdʒ)
verb(transitive)
1.
to form a mental image of; visualize; contemplate
2.
to conceive of as a possibility in the future; foresee
3. archaic
to look in the face of; confront
▶ USAGE It was formerly considered incorrect to use a clause after envisage as in it is envisaged that the new centre will cost £40 million, but this use is now acceptable
Derived forms
envisagement (enˈvisagement)
noun
Word origin
C19: from French envisager, from en-1 + visage face, visage
envisage in American English
(ɛnˈvɪzɪdʒ; ɪnˈvɪzɪdʒ)
verb transitiveWord forms: enˈvisaged or enˈvisaging
1. Rare
to face; confront
2.
to form an image of in the mind; visualize; imagine
Word origin
Fr envisager: see en-1 & visage
Examples of 'envisage' in a sentence
envisage
This is the future she envisages, for herself at least.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
This year the union will find out how its peoples envisage life without the British limb.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Some experts envisage a future of nimble covert operations.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Can she envisage a future relationship with another partner?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
But will it be the future you envisaged?
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
And in this future he envisages two key themes.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It all points to depositors being hit by more than originally envisaged.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
But it is probably not what she envisaged her married life to be.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
What was originally envisaged as a finishing school for young players has now become a hub of coaching.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The job of training is such an exotic drug to him that he cannot envisage life without it.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
It said last week that it envisaged a future for the brand and that it may take some form of ownership.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
How do you envisage the future?
The Sun (2013)
Almost all carry on either through love, or because they cannot envisage a different life.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Most business projects take at least twice as long and cost 50% more than you originally envisaged.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He had originally envisaged himself as overall supremo, but it seemed a reasonable and necessary compromise to make.
Simon Ball THE GUARDSMEN (2004)
It is more than a decade since a coach and her young prodigy stood on a windswept Sheffield running track and envisaged the future.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
I'm not sure what the organisers originally envisaged by inviting me.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
But the IPO will value the company at less than half the amount originally envisaged.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
I can't envisage my life without her.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It is far higher than originally envisaged under the government's long-term programme.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
It also requires more competition, but not in the clunky way the Government originally envisaged.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
He envisages a future in which America's fuel will come from planting above ground rather than drilling below it.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The theme park looks like a city of the future as envisaged about 1968, and delivers a punch that left me laughing.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In other languages
envisage
British English: envisage VERB
If you envisage something, you imagine that it is true, real, or likely to happen.
He envisages the possibility of establishing direct diplomatic relations in the future.
American English: envisage
Brazilian Portuguese: prever
Chinese: 设想
European Spanish: prever
French: envisager
German: sich vorstellen
Italian: considerare
Japanese: 想像する
Korean: > 그려 보다마음속으로
European Portuguese: prever
Latin American Spanish: prever
Chinese translation of 'envisage'
envisage
(ɪnˈvɪzɪdʒ)
vt
(= foresee) 设(設)想 (shèxiǎng)
I envisage that ... 我设(設)想 ... (wǒ shèxiǎng ... )
1 (verb)
I can't envisage being married to someone like that.
Synonyms
imagine
He could not imagine a more peaceful scene.
contemplate
He contemplated a career as an army medical doctor.
conceive (of)
visualize
He could not visualize her as a child.
picture
She pictured herself working with animals.
fancy
She fancied he was trying to hide a smile.
think up
conceptualize
2 (verb)
Definition
to believe to be possible or likely in the future
Scientists envisage a major breakthrough in the next few years.
Synonyms
foresee
He did not foresee any problems.
see
We can see a day when all people live side by side.
expect
I wasn't expecting to see you today.
predict
Nobody can predict what will happen.
anticipate
We could not have anticipated the result of our campaigning.
envision
trying to envision the outcome of his actions
Additional synonyms
in the sense of anticipate
Definition
to foresee and act in advance of
We could not have anticipated the result of our campaigning.
Synonyms
expect,
predict,
forecast,
prepare for,
look for,
hope for,
envisage,
foresee,
bank on,
apprehend,
foretell,
think likely,
count upon
in the sense of contemplate
Definition
to consider as a possibility
He contemplated a career as an army medical doctor.