MYTHICAL Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'mythical' distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of mythical are apocryphal , fabulous , fictitious , and legendary . While all these words mean "having the nature of something imagined or invented," mythical implies a purely fanciful explanation of facts or the creation of beings and events out of the imagination. // mythical creatures

Q: When is 'apocryphal' a more appropriate choice than 'mythical'?

In some situations, the words apocryphal and mythical are roughly equivalent. However, apocryphal implies an unknown or dubious source or origin or may imply that the thing itself is dubious or inaccurate. // a book that repeats many apocryphal stories

Q: In what contexts can 'fabulous' take the place of 'mythical'?

While in some cases nearly identical to mythical , fabulous stresses the marvelous or incredible character of something without necessarily implying impossibility or actual nonexistence. // a land of fabulous riches

Q: When might 'fictitious' be a better fit than 'mythical'?

While the synonyms fictitious and mythical are close in meaning, fictitious implies fabrication and suggests artificiality or contrivance more than deliberate falsification or deception. // fictitious characters

Q: When can 'legendary' be used instead of 'mythical'?

The words legendary and mythical can be used in similar contexts, but legendary suggests the elaboration of invented details and distortion of historical facts produced by popular tradition. // the legendary exploits of Davy Crockett

mythical

adjective

ˈmi-thi-kəl

variants or mythic

Definition of mythical next

as in legendary

based on, described in, or being a myth for years the Spanish conquistadors searched for the mythical El Dorado, a place of unimaginable riches

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in fantastical

not real and existing only in the imagination the mythical unicorn

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word mythical distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of mythical are apocryphal, fabulous, fictitious, and legendary. While all these words mean "having the nature of something imagined or invented," mythical implies a purely fanciful explanation of facts or the creation of beings and events out of the imagination.

mythical creatures

When is apocryphal a more appropriate choice than mythical?

In some situations, the words apocryphal and mythical are roughly equivalent. However, apocryphal implies an unknown or dubious source or origin or may imply that the thing itself is dubious or inaccurate.

a book that repeats many apocryphal stories

In what contexts can fabulous take the place of mythical?

While in some cases nearly identical to mythical, fabulous stresses the marvelous or incredible character of something without necessarily implying impossibility or actual nonexistence.

a land of fabulous riches

When might fictitious be a better fit than mythical?

While the synonyms fictitious and mythical are close in meaning, fictitious implies fabrication and suggests artificiality or contrivance more than deliberate falsification or deception.

fictitious characters

When can legendary be used instead of mythical?

The words legendary and mythical can be used in similar contexts, but legendary suggests the elaboration of invented details and distortion of historical facts produced by popular tradition.

the legendary exploits of Davy Crockett

Examples of mythical in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Recent Examples on the Web Given the fantastical multi-generational tale following the Buendía family and the founding of the mythical town of Macondo, the Colombian series producer Dynamo had its work cut out. —

Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2024 Set to drop next year, the series will follow the journey of King Grey, a once-powerful ruler reborn into a world of magic, mythical creatures and epic battles as Arthur Leywin, a bay with untapped potential. —

Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 19 Oct. 2024 It is decorated with paintings of large serpents with human legs, as well as images of warriors and an unidentified mythical creature. —

Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2024 There is a fantastically zany song about the Rainbow Bridge—a kind of mythical gateway to heaven for pets and their owners—which turns unexpectedly profound on its reprise late in the show, and a delightfully counterintuitive number about ghosts and the afterlife. —

Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for mythical

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mythical

Adjective

In 2025, the legendary ninth Canary Island of San Borondón reappears in the Atlantic, revealing a portal to another world.

John Hopewell, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024
A week before, legendary makeup dame Pat McGrath presented fashion’s most viral beauty look in history: Maison Margiela Couture’s porcelain dolls.

India Espy-Jones, Essence, 5 Nov. 2024