Meaning & use
envisioning
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“envisioning” is a form of “envision”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive
The -ing form of envision: picturing in your mind something that may happen or exist in the future.
Grammar: Takes an object: she is envisioning a quieter life.
Patterns
- envisioning something
- envisioning someone doing something
- envisioning that something will happen
I keep envisioning a small bakery on this corner.
The architects are envisioning a park where the parking lot now stands.
She was envisioning herself giving the speech without any nerves.
noununcountable
The act or process of imagining how something could be in the future.
Grammar: Usually uncountable: envisioning is a key skill in planning.
Patterns
- the envisioning of something
Good leadership starts with the envisioning of a better outcome.
The workshop focused on the envisioning of the school's future.
Envisioning helps athletes prepare before a race.
Common combinations
- envisioning the future
- The students spent the morning envisioning the future of their town.
- envisioning a world
- The book opens by envisioning a world without hunger.
- envisioning success
- Envisioning success can boost confidence before an interview.
- envisioning yourself
- Try envisioning yourself calm and prepared.
- envisioning an outcome
- The team is envisioning an outcome that satisfies everyone.
Synonyms and how they differ
- imagining
- Imagining can be about anything, real or fantasy, while envisioning usually points to a specific and plausible future.
- picturing
- Picturing stresses the mental image itself, whereas envisioning often implies planning or hope.
- foreseeing
- Foreseeing means expecting something to happen, but envisioning is more about wishing or designing something.
- visualizing
- Visualizing focuses on forming a clear mental image, often as a technique, and is slightly more technical.
Word family
- envision verb
- to picture a possible future
- envisioned verb
- past tense, pictured in advance
- envisage verb
- a British near-synonym of envision
- vision noun
- an idea of what the future could be
Commonly confused: envisioning or envisaging?
envisioning vs envisaging
Envisaging is the British equivalent, and means much the same; it is not a different meaning.
Practice
The founders are ___ a school where every child has access to music lessons.
Choose one answer.
Envisioning means picturing a future possibility, which fits the plan for a school. The other options do not take that meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “envisioning”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.