n. 1
The image-making power of the mind; the act of mentally creating or reproducing an object not previously perceived; the ability to create such images.
Imagination is one of the most advanced human faculties.
n. 2
A mental image formed by the action of the imagination as a faculty; something imagined.
n. 3
Particularly, construction of false images; fantasizing.
You think someone's been following you? That's just your imagination.
n. 4
Creativity; resourcefulness.
His imagination makes him a valuable team member.

Forms

Plural: imaginations → creativities, figments, inventivenesses, fancies…

Choose the right word

or Imagination?

Directly the reverse of these are the desires and demands of the imagination. The imagination modifies images, and gives unity to variety; it sees all things in one....

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

fantasy In his fantasy, he imagined he was a famous writer.
creativity Creativity and uniqueness certainly go a long way.
figment Robert was just a figment of Sandra's imagination.
notion He had a notion that she was very angry with him.
imagining I may be imagining it, but something smells weird.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
imagination		rising
fantasy		rising
creativity		rising
figment		rising
inventiveness		steady
notion		rising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters: wit¹
5 letters: fancy²
6 letters: vision², notion²
7 letters: thought¹, fantasy³, imaging³, imagery³, conceit², figment²
8 letters: resource², illusion³, phantasm³
9 letters: invention³, imagining⁴
10 letters: creativity⁵, conception³
13 letters: inventiveness⁴
15 letters: resourcefulness⁴, imaginativeness

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (fancy² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français: imagination
Italiano: immaginazione
Español: imaginación
Deutsch: Vorstellung
Català: imaginació