fantasize

verb

fan·​ta·​size ˈfan-tə-ˌsīz How to pronounce fantasize (audio)
fantasized; fantasizing

intransitive verb

: to indulge in reverie : to create or develop imaginative and often fantastic views or ideas
doing things I'd fantasized about in my sheltered childhoodDiane Arbus

transitive verb

: to portray in the mind : fancy
likes to fantasize herself as very wealthy
fantasizer noun

Examples of fantasize in a Sentence

She fantasized that she had won a million dollars. all those lottery players fantasizing themselves as living in extravagant luxury
Recent Examples on the Web
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 angsty teen, who’s got far too much access to firearms and fantasizes about blowing up his peers, lives with his ailing, Franzia-wine-box-guzzling grandmother (Becky Ann Baker, hilarious and sweatily confined to an easy chair). Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 8 June 2025 Like most things in life, the reality of fame is not what most people fantasize about. Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025 Shreya, a 33-year-old orthodontist from India, says fantasizing or having thoughts about someone else that give you butterflies definitely fall into the cheating category. Varuna Srinivasan, Allure, 27 May 2025 Adoptees who could only fantasize about their birth families are now identifying them through DNA testing and chatting with them online. Barbara Demick, New Yorker, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for fantasize

Word History

Etymology

fantasy entry 1 + -ize

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of fantasize was in 1926

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fantasize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fantasize. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.

Medical Definition

fantasize

verb
fan·​ta·​size
variants or British fantasise
fantasized or British fantasised; fantasizing or British fantasising

intransitive verb

: to indulge in fantasy : create or develop imaginative and often fantastic views or ideas
fantasizes about running away from home

transitive verb

: to portray in the mind by fantasy
likes to fantasize herself as very famous

More from Merriam-Webster on fantasize

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