Sometimes, we use our minds to picture things that are not real or haven’t happened yet. This is called imagining. People use idioms to talk about imagination in fun or creative ways. Idioms are phrases that don’t mean exactly what the words say. For example, if someone says, “lost in thought,” they don’t mean the person is actually lost. It means the person is daydreaming or thinking deeply.
In this article, you will learn common idioms related to imagining. Each one has a meaning and a sentence to help you understand how it’s used. These idioms can help you describe your thoughts in a more interesting way. They can also make your writing and speaking clearer and more fun. Let’s look at some of the idioms people use when they imagine things.
Idioms for Imagine
1. In your mind’s eye
Meaning: In your imagination
Sample Sentences: I saw the dragon in my mind’s eye. / In my mind’s eye, the treehouse looked magical.
Other Way to Say: In your head / In your thoughts
2. Off the top of your head
Meaning: Imagining something without thinking deeply
Sample Sentences: Off the top of my head, I picture a flying bike. / She gave an answer off the top of her head.
Other Way to Say: Guess quickly / Imagine fast
3. Dream up
Meaning: To create an idea using your imagination
Sample Sentences: He dreamed up a world full of candy. / She dreamed up a new game.
Other Way to Say: Make up / Think of
4. Picture it
Meaning: To see it in your imagination
Sample Sentences: Picture it: a room made of chocolate! / Can you picture it in your head?
Other Way to Say: Imagine / Visualize
5. Think outside the box
Meaning: Use creative or new ideas
Sample Sentences: We had to think outside the box for our science project. / She solved it by thinking outside the box.
Other Way to Say: Be creative / Try something new
6. Flights of fancy
Meaning: Fun and wild ideas
Sample Sentences: His story was full of flights of fancy. / The painting showed her flights of fancy.
Other Way to Say: Wild ideas / Creative thoughts
7. A figment of your imagination
Meaning: Something made up in your mind
Sample Sentences: The ghost was just a figment of my imagination. / It wasn’t real, only a figment of her imagination.
Other Way to Say: Imaginary / Made-up
8. Let your mind wander
Meaning: To think about many different things
Sample Sentences: I let my mind wander during math class. / His mind wandered to space adventures.
Other Way to Say: Daydream / Drift off
9. Paint a picture
Meaning: Describe something using imagination
Sample Sentences: He painted a picture of a perfect beach. / She painted a picture with her words.
Other Way to Say: Describe well / Show with words
10. In your wildest dreams
Meaning: Something very amazing or impossible to imagine
Sample Sentences: I never thought, even in my wildest dreams, that I’d fly a plane. / Winning the race was beyond her wildest dreams.
Other Way to Say: Hard to believe / Big dreams
11. Cooked up
Meaning: Invented or imagined something
Sample Sentences: He cooked up a story about aliens. / They cooked up a plan to build a robot.
Other Way to Say: Made up / Thought of
12. Make-believe
Meaning: Not real; pretend
Sample Sentences: We played a game of make-believe with dragons. / The castle was all make-believe.
Other Way to Say: Pretend / Imaginary
13. Head in the clouds
Meaning: Always thinking about imaginary things
Sample Sentences: She walks with her head in the clouds. / I had my head in the clouds all day.
Other Way to Say: Daydreaming / Not focused
14. Lost in thought
Meaning: Deep in imagination or ideas
Sample Sentences: He was lost in thought during lunch. / I get lost in thought while drawing.
Other Way to Say: Deep thinking / Zoned out
15. A spark of imagination
Meaning: A small idea that grows
Sample Sentences: A spark of imagination started my story. / She had a spark of imagination during class.
Other Way to Say: A new idea / Creative start
16. Off in la-la land
Meaning: Daydreaming or not paying attention
Sample Sentences: He’s off in la-la land again. / I was in la-la land during reading time.
Other Way to Say: Lost in dreams / Not here
17. Open your mind
Meaning: Let new or creative ideas in
Sample Sentences: Open your mind to new worlds. / She opened her mind and imagined new creatures.
Other Way to Say: Be creative / Try new ideas
18. See in your head
Meaning: Imagine it clearly
Sample Sentences: I can see the beach in my head. / He saw the whole game in his head.
Other Way to Say: Picture / Visualize
19. Castles in the air
Meaning: Big dreams that may not happen
Sample Sentences: He built castles in the air about being famous. / Her dreams were castles in the air.
Other Way to Say: Big dreams / Hopes
20. Imagine the possibilities
Meaning: Think of all the things that could happen
Sample Sentences: Imagine the possibilities of space travel! / She imagined the possibilities of a flying car.
Other Way to Say: Think big / Picture the future
21. A world of your own
Meaning: A private place in your imagination
Sample Sentences: She lives in a world of her own with fairies and wizards. / He built a world of his own in his drawings.
Other Way to Say: Your own land / Private dream place
22. Mind movie
Meaning: A clear picture in your thoughts
Sample Sentences: I watched a mind movie of my summer trip. / Her mind movie showed a space adventure.
Other Way to Say: Thought picture / Dream film
23. Off in dreamland
Meaning: Deep in dreams or imagination
Sample Sentences: He’s off in dreamland again. / I went to dreamland during class.
Other Way to Say: Daydreaming / Lost in thoughts
24. Draw from imagination
Meaning: Create something from your mind
Sample Sentences: I drew from imagination a house on the moon. / She draws from imagination every time.
Other Way to Say: Think and draw / Picture and create
25. Use your mind’s canvas
Meaning: Imagine like painting on a blank space
Sample Sentences: Use your mind’s canvas to create a wild zoo. / His mind’s canvas had flying bikes.
Other Way to Say: Imagine freely / Paint with your brain
26. Picture-perfect in your mind
Meaning: Imagine something clearly
Sample Sentences: The birthday was picture-perfect in my mind. / She saw a picture-perfect beach in her head.
Other Way to Say: Clear image / Dream view
27. Let your thoughts fly
Meaning: Let your ideas go anywhere
Sample Sentences: Let your thoughts fly like birds. / His thoughts flew into space stories.
Other Way to Say: Think freely / Dream big
28. Wandering thoughts
Meaning: Thoughts that drift from one idea to another
Sample Sentences: My wandering thoughts took me to the stars. / She had wandering thoughts all day.
Other Way to Say: Loose ideas / Roaming mind
29. Story in your head
Meaning: A tale you imagine
Sample Sentences: I always have a story in my head. / He tells the story in his head like a movie.
Other Way to Say: Dream story / Mind tale
30. A land of make-believe
Meaning: A pretend place
Sample Sentences: She plays in a land of make-believe. / We built a land of make-believe in the backyard.
Other Way to Say: Pretend world / Imaginary land
31. Let your brain explore
Meaning: Think of new things freely
Sample Sentences: Let your brain explore new ideas. / His brain explored wild creatures.
Other Way to Say: Think around / Dream widely
32. Magic of the mind
Meaning: Power of imagination
Sample Sentences: The magic of the mind brought dragons to life. / She used the magic of her mind to write poems.
Other Way to Say: Imagination power / Brain magic
33. Make a mental picture
Meaning: Imagine clearly
Sample Sentences: Make a mental picture of the park. / He made a mental picture of a castle.
Other Way to Say: Picture it / Visual memory
34. Create in your head
Meaning: Make something using your imagination
Sample Sentences: She creates in her head before drawing. / I created the whole game in my head.
Other Way to Say: Think and make / Brain build
35. Let your brain wander
Meaning: Let your thoughts move freely
Sample Sentences: Let your brain wander and find ideas. / His brain wandered to other planets.
Other Way to Say: Think freely / Daydream
36. Imagine it up
Meaning: Make it with your mind
Sample Sentences: I imagined up a playground in the sky. / She imagined up a new animal.
Other Way to Say: Make up / Dream it
37. Use your inner eye
Meaning: See with your imagination
Sample Sentences: Use your inner eye to picture the forest. / His inner eye saw a spaceship.
Other Way to Say: Mind sight / Brain view
38. Let your ideas bloom
Meaning: Let your imagination grow
Sample Sentences: Let your ideas bloom like flowers. / Her ideas bloomed in her notebook.
Other Way to Say: Grow your thoughts / Create
39. Go on a mind trip
Meaning: Travel using imagination
Sample Sentences: We went on a mind trip to a candy island. / My mind trip took me to the moon.
Other Way to Say: Thought travel / Brain adventure
40. Brainstorm a dream
Meaning: Think of creative ideas
Sample Sentences: Let’s brainstorm a dream for our story. / He brainstormed a dream about a robot zoo.
Other Way to Say: Think of dreams / Plan fun things
41. Write with your brain
Meaning: Create stories from imagination
Sample Sentences: I write with my brain before using a pencil. / She writes with her brain first.
Other Way to Say: Plan in your head / Dream write
42. Build with your thoughts
Meaning: Create using imagination
Sample Sentences: He built a tower with his thoughts. / She builds cities with her thoughts.
Other Way to Say: Make in your head / Brain build
43. Let your dream run wild
Meaning: Imagine without limits
Sample Sentences: Let your dream run wild and draw it! / His dream ran wild through space.
Other Way to Say: Dream big / Think wide
44. Travel through thought
Meaning: Use your mind to explore
Sample Sentences: I travel through thought to the ocean. / She traveled through thought to fairyland.
Other Way to Say: Dream journey / Brain trip
45. Daydream your way
Meaning: Imagine as you like
Sample Sentences: Daydream your way through the clouds. / I daydream my way to stories.
Other Way to Say: Think up your way / Make your own world
46. Spin a story
Meaning: Make up a story using imagination
Sample Sentences: He spun a story about talking pets. / I spun a story of a giant cookie.
Other Way to Say: Tell a tale / Make up
47. Picture a new world
Meaning: Imagine a place no one has seen
Sample Sentences: Picture a new world where kids fly. / She pictured a new world of underwater homes.
Other Way to Say: Imagine a place / Dreamland
48. Use your thinking cap
Meaning: Think hard and be creative
Sample Sentences: Put on your thinking cap and make a new game. / I used my thinking cap to plan a birthday surprise.
Other Way to Say: Be smart / Brainstorm
49. Magic picture in your head
Meaning: An imagined scene that feels special
Sample Sentences: I had a magic picture in my head of my dream school. / She had a magic picture of a rainbow room.
Other Way to Say: Special idea / Fantasy view
50. Imagine big
Meaning: Don’t hold back, think boldly
Sample Sentences: Imagine big, and maybe you’ll invent something. / He imagined big and created a new game.
Other Way to Say: Dream huge / Think big
51. Your brain’s playground
Meaning: A place for fun ideas
Sample Sentences: Use your brain’s playground to think of wild things. / Her brain’s playground had fairy horses.
Other Way to Say: Idea place / Thought fun
52. Mind magic
Meaning: Creative power in your thoughts
Sample Sentences: His story showed his mind magic. / I used my mind magic to design my house.
Other Way to Say: Brain power / Imagination charm
53. Invent in your mind
Meaning: Create something new in your thoughts
Sample Sentences: She invented a water-shooting bike in her mind. / He invents in his mind every day.
Other Way to Say: Make up / Dream it
54. Go beyond the real
Meaning: Imagine things not found in real life
Sample Sentences: Go beyond the real and build a candy planet. / She went beyond the real in her comic.
Other Way to Say: Think far / Dream unreal
55. Make the impossible possible
Meaning: Believe and create even wild ideas
Sample Sentences: I made the impossible possible with my story. / He made the impossible possible with pictures.
Other Way to Say: Dream without limits / Bold thinking
Multiple Choice Questions: Idioms for Imagine
1. What does “head in the clouds” mean?
A. You are up high on a mountain
B. You are thinking or daydreaming
C. You are scared of flying
2. If someone says “don’t make a mountain out of a molehill,” what do they mean?
A. Don’t hike up a big hill
B. Don’t turn a small problem into a big one
C. Don’t build anything in your yard
3. What does “dream big” mean?
A. Take long naps during the day
B. Hope for something small and easy
C. Imagine great and exciting goals
4. If you are “lost in thought,” what are you doing?
A. Playing hide and seek
B. Thinking deeply or daydreaming
C. Looking for your homework
5. What does “picture this” mean?
A. Take a real photo
B. Imagine something clearly in your mind
C. Draw something fast
6. “Off in another world” means someone is…
A. On a trip to space
B. Playing a video game
C. Not paying attention because they are imagining
7. What does “figment of your imagination” mean?
A. Something real you can hold
B. Something made up in your mind
C. A broken toy
8. What does “cook up an idea” mean?
A. Make food in the kitchen
B. Think of a clever or fun plan
C. Burn something on the stove
9. “Let your imagination run wild” means…
A. Stop thinking
B. Use your thoughts freely and be creative
C. Run fast around the yard
10. If someone says you’re “living in a dream,” what are they really saying?
A. You are always sleeping
B. You’re imagining things that aren’t real
C. You live in a very quiet place
11. What does it mean to “paint a picture with words”?
A. Use a paintbrush to write
B. Describe something clearly using words
C. Tell someone to draw a story
12. “In your dreams!” is said when…
A. Something is likely to happen
B. Someone just woke up
C. Something is impossible or not going to happen
Answer Key
- B. You are thinking or daydreaming
- B. Don’t turn a small problem into a big one
- C. Imagine great and exciting goals
- B. Thinking deeply or daydreaming
- B. Imagine something clearly in your mind
- C. Not paying attention because they are imagining
- B. Something made up in your mind
- B. Think of a clever or fun plan
- B. Use your thoughts freely and be creative
- B. You’re imagining things that aren’t real
- B. Describe something clearly using words
- C. Something is impossible or not going to happen
Scoring Guide
12 Correct Answers:
Love Idiom Master! You understand these idioms very well.
8–11 Correct Answers:
Well on your way to understanding love idioms. Keep it up!
4–7 Correct Answers:
Room for improvement, but you’re getting there! Try reviewing a few more examples.
0–3 Correct Answers:
Let’s explore the world of love idioms together. Start small and keep learning.
Conclusion
Idioms help us speak in fun and creative ways. When we talk about imagining things, these phrases make our thoughts clearer and more interesting. Instead of just saying “I’m thinking,” we can use expressions like “lost in thought” or “head in the clouds.”
Learning idioms helps with reading, writing, and speaking. You may hear them in books, shows, or everyday talk. The more you practice, the easier they become. Keep exploring new phrases and try using them in your own stories or conversations.
