conceive

conceive — verb

1. to form a picture or idea of something in your mind, especially when it seems st

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to form a picture or idea of something in your mind, especially when it seems strange, unusual, or unlikely to be real.

Example

Lara found it hard to conceive of a world without books.

conceive of + noun phrase (a world without…)

Can you conceive that a foreigner might understand your local customs better than you do?

conceive + that-clause in a question

Common collocations
  • conceive of
  • conceive of…as
  • hard / difficult to conceive
  • cannot conceive
  • barely conceive
Synonyms
  • envision

    more concrete — suggests a detailed future scene; 'conceive' can refer to abstract ideas

  • picture

    less formal, suggests visual mental imagery rather than intellectual grasp

  • imagine

    broader, more everyday; 'conceive' is more formal and often implies effort

Grammar Patterns

conceive + of + noun / -ing

cannot / could not conceive + of / that / wh-clause

conceive + of + noun + as + noun / adj

Usage Note

Often requires 'of' before a noun or -ing form. The that-clause and wh-clause patterns usually drop 'of'.

Common Mistakes

Lara conceived a world without books.
Lara conceived of a world without books.
When the object is a noun phrase (not a clause), 'conceive' usually requires 'of'.
I conceive your situation.
I understand / appreciate your situation.
'Conceive' is not a synonym for 'understand'; it means to form a new mental picture, not to grasp an existing fact.

2. to think of and develop a new idea, plan, design, or method that did not exist b

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to think of and develop a new idea, plan, design, or method that did not exist before.

Example

A team of young engineers conceived a building that runs entirely on solar power.

conceive + noun + that-clause

Rin conceived a method for turning plastic bags into durable paving tiles.

conceive + noun + for + -ing

Common collocations
  • conceive a plan
  • conceive a strategy
  • conceive a design
  • conceive an idea
  • conceive a method
Synonyms
  • devise

    emphasises the practical, step-by-step shaping of an idea; 'conceive' is more about the initial spark

  • invent

    generally used for tangible objects or concrete systems rather than abstract plans

  • formulate

    suggests a careful, systematic development rather than a sudden idea

Grammar Patterns

conceive + noun (plan / idea / strategy / design / scheme)

be conceived + by + noun

conceive + of + noun (less common, more formal)

Usage Note

Unlike sense 1 (IMAGINE), this sense does NOT use 'of' before the object. 'Conceive a plan' is correct; 'conceive of a plan' belongs to sense 1.

Common Mistakes

She conceived of a new marketing strategy.
She conceived a new marketing strategy.
For inventing a plan, use 'conceive' without 'of'; the 'of' version shifts the meaning to 'imagine.'
Newton conceived the law of gravity.' (implies invention)
Newton discovered / formulated the law of gravity.
'Conceive' suggests deliberate creation, not discovery of something that already existed.

3. when a pregnancy starts — a fertilised egg attaches inside the mother and starts

3.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

when a pregnancy starts — a fertilised egg attaches inside the mother and starts to grow, or a woman becomes pregnant, usually in a planned or medical context.

Example

The couple tried to conceive for nearly three years before the test turned positive.

try to conceive — intransitive, planned pregnancy

Saira conceived naturally at the age of thirty-six, to the surprise of her doctors.

Common collocations
  • conceive a child
  • conceive a baby
  • try to conceive
  • conceive naturally
  • conceive with help
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

conceive (a child / a baby)

try to conceive

conceive naturally / with medical help

Usage Note

In everyday conversation, 'get pregnant' or 'become pregnant' is far more common. 'Conceive' belongs to medical discussions, formal writing, or situations where the speaker wants to be delicate about the topic.

Common Mistakes

She conceived last week.' (in everyday talk)
She got pregnant last week.
'Conceive' sounds clinical in casual conversation; use 'get pregnant' instead.
He conceived a baby with his wife.
His wife conceived their baby.
Biologically, the woman conceives; the man does not. Use 'He and his wife conceived a child' to share agency equally.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

These words all involve forming ideas or images in the mind, but they differ in formality, concreteness, and usage. Imagine (B1) is the most common and casual — you imagine a summer holiday or imagine someone's reaction. Conceive (B2) is more formal and often requires 'of' before a noun; it suggests mental effort or something unusual ('I cannot conceive of a worse outcome'). Envision (B2–C1) focuses on picturing a specific future scenario, often positive ('She envisioned herself running the company one day'). Envisage (C1, chiefly British) is close to envision but feels more analytical — you envisage the steps or consequences of a plan. In writing: imagine the scene if you want everyday clarity; conceive of the possibility if you want weight; envision/envisage the outcome if you want forward-looking detail.

imagine ↗envisionenvisage

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • conceive of…as
  • try to conceive
  • conceive a child
  • cannot conceive

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Conceive entered English through Old French conceivre, from Latin concipere, a combination of com- ('together') and capere ('to take, seize'). The literal sense was 'to take in' or 'to receive' — originally used for both taking an idea into your mind and receiving a baby in the womb. These two threads — mental creation and biological creation — have run side by side in English since the 1200s.