romantic

1 of 2

adjective

ro·​man·​tic rō-ˈman-tik How to pronounce romantic (audio)
rə-
1
: consisting of or resembling a romance
2
: having no basis in fact : imaginary
3
: impractical in conception or plan : visionary
4
a
: marked by the imaginative or emotional appeal of what is heroic, adventurous, remote, mysterious, or idealized
b
often capitalized : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of romanticism
c
: of or relating to music of the 19th century characterized by an emphasis on subjective emotional qualities and freedom of form
also : of or relating to a composer of this music
5
a
: having an inclination for romance : responsive to the appeal of what is idealized, heroic, or adventurous
b
: marked by expressions of love or affection
c
: conducive to or suitable for lovemaking
6
: of, relating to, or constituting the part of the hero especially in a light comedy
romantically adverb

romantic

2 of 2

noun

1
: a romantic person, trait, or component
2
capitalized : a romantic writer, artist, or composer

Examples of romantic in a Sentence

Adjective She had romantic feelings for him. He had a romantic relationship with a coworker. His brother was having romantic troubles at the time. She won't discuss her romantic life with the press. Why can't you be more romantic? He has some romantic notions about life on a farm. She had a lot of big romantic dreams of becoming an actress. Beethoven was the first great Romantic composer. Noun She married a real romantic who brings her roses every day. Law school is no place for idealists and romantics. Beethoven was the first great Romantic among composers.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
All of Moore’s kids went for a romantic vibe with their ensembles in contrast to their mom’s bombshell look. Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 Someone checks all the right romantic boxes as Venus enters idealistic Pisces! USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2024 But the gown — a satin Marc Bouwer number worn by Angelina Jolie for the Oscars in 2004 — was certainly styled differently on Sweeney, worn with a golden smokey eye and a romantic bob, compared to Jolie’s winged liner and tattoos. Leah Dolan, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024 Everett is not the first to reimagine Huck and Jim’s coupling, which other artists have interpreted as romantic or paternal. Maya Binyam, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 One of my most memorable experiences here was the private romantic dinner out on the jetty. Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 11 Mar. 2024 She’s beautifully understated, adding an overwhelming sense of romantic yearning with even the smallest glances and gestures. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 9 Mar. 2024 With all of the romantic movies Hulu has on offer, you’ll be steadily occupied until next Valentine’s Day. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024 The actress, 42, attended the Chloé show during Paris Fashion Week, sitting front row in a edgy-meets-feminine look from the label including an oversize biker-style bomber jacket and romantic slinky white slip dress. Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 29 Feb. 2024
Noun
In three quick sequences, Blunt has already given us a rough sketch of who this person is: a world traveler with a lot of life experience under her belt, a bruised romantic, and a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 25 Feb. 2024 This was about a hopeless romantic’s journey through life in her search for love. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Feb. 2024 He’s had a second act as a basketball romantic who offers commentary on the game in the manner of Walt Whitman rhapsodizing about a commute to Manhattan. Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2024 Nancy, a hopeless romantic is looking for a trustworthy man to share her life with. Amaris Encinas, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Sep. 2023 This eponymous romantic is Cashel Greville Ross, born in 1799. Daneet Steffens, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Aug. 2023 She had been devoted to finding the perfect man to marry throughout the show’s original run and was often dubbed a hopeless romantic. Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 13 July 2023 Based on the first novel in Jenny Han’s young adult trilogy, this rom-com follows high schooler Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor), the ultimate hopeless romantic. Abigail Lee, BostonGlobe.com, 30 June 2023 In recent years, Mr. Rex has dressed up as a superhero, a hopeless romantic and the Easter Bunny (among other ensembles), with some matching color schemes for Dinny. Ryan Fonsecastaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'romantic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

French romantique, from obsolete romant romance, from Old French romanz

First Known Use

Adjective

1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1816, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of romantic was in 1650

Dictionary Entries Near romantic

Cite this Entry

“Romantic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/romantic. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

romantic

1 of 2 noun
ro·​man·​tic rō-ˈmant-ik How to pronounce romantic (audio)
: a romantic person
especially : a romantic writer, composer, or artist

romantic

2 of 2 adjective
1
: of, relating to, or resembling a romance
romantic writing
2
3
: impractical
a romantic scheme
4
a
: stressing or appealing to the emotions or imagination
a romantic spot
b
often capitalized : of or relating to romanticism
5
: of, relating to, or associated with love
romantically
-i-k(ə-)lē
adverb

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