Meaning & use
conceptualize
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Meanings
verbtransitiveformal
To form an idea of something in your mind, especially in an abstract way.
Grammar: Takes an object: conceptualize a plan.
Patterns
- conceptualize something
- conceptualize something as something
It is hard to conceptualize a billion dollars.
Designers conceptualize the space before drawing it.
verbtransitive
To think of or describe something in a particular way.
Grammar: Often with as: conceptualize time as a river.
Patterns
- conceptualize something as something
Some people conceptualize life as a journey.
The theory conceptualizes language as a set of habits.
Word forms
| third person singular | conceptualizes |
|---|---|
| past tense | conceptualized |
| past participle | conceptualized |
| -ing form | conceptualizing |
Common combinations
- conceptualize an idea
- Try to conceptualize the idea first.
- conceptualize as
- We conceptualize it as a network.
- hard to conceptualize
- Infinity is hard to conceptualize.
- conceptualize a design
- The team conceptualized the design.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- concept noun
- an idea
- conceptual adjective
- about ideas
- conceptualization noun
- forming an idea
Commonly confused: conceptualize or conceive?
conceptualize vs conceive
Conceive means to imagine or become pregnant.
Practice
Many students find it hard to ___ how large a galaxy is.
Choose one answer.
Conceptualize means to form an idea in the mind. Contextualize means putting into context.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “conceptualize”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.