envisage
envisage Lexical Profile
envisage Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To contemplate or conceive of as a possibility or a desirable future event.
"The urban planners did not envisage such rapid population growth when they designed the transit system."
To form a mental picture of something or someone.
"It is difficult to envisage how the ancient city looked before the earthquake."
Word Nuance & Usage
While 'envisage' and 'envision' both mean to imagine a future possibility, 'envisage' is preferred in British English and often implies a realistic, practical assessment, whereas 'envision' is more common in American English and can carry a more idealistic or visionary tone.
• Rhymes for envisage
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 19th century from French envisager, literally meaning 'to look in the face,' formed from en- ('in, upon') and visage ('face'), ultimately tracing back to Latin visus ('sight, appearance').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.