chimerical

adjective

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chi·me·ri·cal | \ kī-ˈmer-i-kəl

, kə-, -ˈmir- \

variants: or less commonly chimeric \ kī-ˈmer-ik

, kə- , -ˈmir- \

Definition of chimerical

1 : existing only as the product of unchecked imagination : fantastically visionary (see visionary entry 1 sense 2) or improbable chimerical dreams of economic stability

2 : given to fantastic schemes She's a chimerical optimist infused with utopian visions.

3 usually chimeric

a : relating to, derived from, or being a genetic chimera : containing tissue with two or more genetically distinct populations of cells Chimeric mice are generated by mixing cells from two embryos, generating a mouse with four parental contributions.— Nancy L. Nadon

b : composed of material (such as DNA or polypeptide) from more than one organism He combined this gene material with safer human DNA and created what's known as a chimeric gene—a gene of antibody instructions that is part man, part mouse.— Eric Hand

Other Words from chimerical Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about chimerical

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Choose the Right Synonym for chimerical

imaginary, fanciful, visionary, fantastic, chimerical, quixotic mean unreal or unbelievable. imaginary applies to something which is fictitious and purely the product of one's imagination. an imaginary desert isle fanciful suggests the free play of the imagination. a teller of fanciful stories visionary stresses impracticality or incapability of realization. visionary schemes fantastic implies incredibility or strangeness beyond belief. a fantastic world inhabited by monsters chimerical combines the implication of visionary and fantastic. chimerical dreams of future progress quixotic implies a devotion to romantic or chivalrous ideals unrestrained by ordinary prudence and common sense. a quixotic crusade

Examples of chimerical in a Sentence

for the time being, interplanetary travel remains a chimerical feature of life in the 21st century

Recent Examples on the Web As the technology industry faces growing government scrutiny, this may not be the time for a visionary, chimerical CEO. — Washington Post, "Where Is Larry Page? Alphabet Deserves Better," 20 Sep. 2019 As the technology industry faces growing government scrutiny, this may not be the time for a visionary, chimerical CEO. — Washington Post, "Where Is Larry Page? Alphabet Deserves Better," 20 Sep. 2019 As the technology industry faces growing government scrutiny, this may not be the time for a visionary, chimerical CEO. — Washington Post, "Where Is Larry Page? Alphabet Deserves Better," 20 Sep. 2019 The company said the tax cut allowed it to pay bonuses of up to $1,000 to its workforce, but these turned out to be largely chimerical. — Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, "Column: Two billionaires explain why they shouldn’t pay more taxes, unlike you poor saps," 15 Aug. 2019 Originally shot for television, intended as the first in a series of nuts-and-bolts, hourlong Broadway cast album recording documentaries, this ended up being a chimerical one-off. — Michael Phillips, chicagotribune.com, "D.A. Pennebaker: 5 films to see by the American champion of cinema verite," 4 Aug. 2019 That playoff run has taken on almost chimerical stature among Parishioners of the Parquet eager to shed Irving and his petulance and impetuousness. — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, "All of a sudden, the Celtics are hitting the reset button," 17 June 2019 As the technology industry faces growing government scrutiny, this may not be the time for a visionary, chimerical CEO. — Casey Newton, The Verge, "Project Veritas’ YouTube sting was deeply misleading — and successful," 27 June 2019 Reports that the Russians, despite having a defense budget less than a tenth the size of ours, are somehow outpacing us in the development of weapons such as chimerical hypersonic missiles go largely unchallenged. — Andrew Cockburn, Harper's magazine, "The Military-Industrial Virus," 10 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'chimerical.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

30 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Chimerical.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chimerical. Accessed 26 January 2020.