fanciful

adjective

fan·​ci·​ful ˈfan(t)-si-fəl 

1

: marked by fancy or unrestrained imagination rather than by reason and experience

a fanciful person

a fanciful tale of a monster in the woods

2

: existing in fancy (see fancy entry 2) only

a fanciful notion

the falsehoods about some fanciful secret treaties

—F. D. Roosevelt

3

: marked by or as if by fancy or whim

gave their children fanciful names

fancifully

ˈfan(t)-si-f(ə-)lē 

adverb

fancifulness

ˈfan(t)-si-fəl-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• absurd
• bizarre
• crazy
• fantastic
• fantastical
• foolish
• insane
• nonsensical
• preposterous
• unreal
• wild

Choose the Right Synonym for fanciful

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 fanciful in a Sentence

a fanciful tale of a monster in the woods

They gave all their children fanciful names.

Recent Examples on the Web

Public health officials must also prepare to mount a more convincing, unified and adamant information campaigns — and leaders must be prepared to be stern with those who choose to put others at risk based on flawed or fanciful interpretations of scientific evidence. —Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2024

Marras’ talent for scenography is no secret to those who have attended his fashion shows, where the runway is always the stage for his theatrical presentations and personal tales always lie behind his carefully detailed collections and his fanciful and imaginative sets. —Luisa Zargani, WWD, 5 July 2024

Revelers canvassed the streets with colorful and fanciful abandonment. —Lisa Vernon Sparks, Charlotte Observer, 19 June 2024

But this is a movie about ideas more than people; everything in it feels purposefully unreal and fanciful, as if the whole thing were taking place inside its creator’s head. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

fancy entry 2 + -ful entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

fanciful

adjective

fan·​ci·​ful ˈfan(t)-si-fəl 

1

: having or showing free imagination rather than reason

a fanciful person

a fanciful tale

2

: existing in fancy only

a fanciful notion

fancifully

-f(ə-)lē 

adverb

fancifulness

-fəl-nəs 

noun