Don Quixote
noun
Don Qui·xote
ˌdän-kē-ˈ(h)ō-tē 
ˌdäŋ-;
chiefly British dän-ˈkwik-sət
: an impractical idealist
Examples of Don Quixote in a Sentence
a latter-day Don Quixote, she's spent her life fighting the state's big logging companies
Recent Examples on the Web
Combining the optimism of Don Quixote and Candide became the guide for my main character—an absolutely surreal, absurd optimist, who believes that even things way out of his league are possible for him.
—
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2025
Loosely centered on the ballet Don Quixote (which is based on the 1600s Spanish novel), Act 2 speaks to kids ages 5–8 about themes of resilience, compassion and friendship—values Copeland says shaped her early years.
—Essence, 4 Nov. 2025
Writers have always been more Don Quixote than Sancho Panza.
—Rowan Jacobsen, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Nonetheless, the two become close, to the degree that they are compared to Don Quixote and his faithful servant Sancho Panza.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for Don Quixote
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2025
Loosely centered on the ballet Don Quixote (which is based on the 1600s Spanish novel), Act 2 speaks to kids ages 5–8 about themes of resilience, compassion and friendship—values Copeland says shaped her early years.
—Essence, 4 Nov. 2025
Writers have always been more Don Quixote than Sancho Panza.
—Rowan Jacobsen, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Nonetheless, the two become close, to the degree that they are compared to Don Quixote and his faithful servant Sancho Panza.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for Don Quixote
Cite this Entry
“Don Quixote.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Don%20Quixote. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share