fantastic

1 of 2

adjective

fan·​tas·​tic fan-ˈta-stik 

fən-

variants or less commonly fantastical

fan-ˈta-sti-kəl 

1

a

: based on fantasy (see fantasy entry 1 sense 2) : not real

b

: conceived or seemingly conceived by unrestrained fancy

fantastic new space and nuclear weapons

—Jack Raymond

c

: so extreme as to challenge belief : unbelievable

a fantastic industrial complex of steel, coal, machine tools, and other heavy industries

—M. S. Handler

broadly : exceedingly large or great

spent fantastic sums on his library

2

: marked by extravagant fantasy or extreme individuality : eccentric

fantastic works of art

3

fantastic : excellent, superlative

a fantastic meal

fantasticality

(ˌ)fan-ˌta-stə-ˈka-lə-tē 

fən-

noun

fantasticalness

fan-ˈta-stə-kəl-nəs 

noun

fantastic

2 of 2

noun

: eccentric sense 1

Synonyms

Adjective

• absurd
• bizarre
• crazy
• fanciful
• foolish
• insane
• nonsensical
• preposterous
• unreal
• wild

Choose the Right Synonym for fantastic

fantastic, bizarre, grotesque mean conceived, made, or carried out without adherence to truth or reality.

fantastic may connote extravagance in conception or ingenuity of decorative invention.

dreamed up fantastic rumors

bizarre applies to the sensationally strange and implies violence of contrast or incongruity of combination.

a bizarre medieval castle in the heart of a modern city

grotesque may apply to what is conventionally ugly but artistically effective or it may connote ludicrous awkwardness or incongruity often with sinister or tragic overtones.

grotesque statues on the cathedral

though grieving, she made a grotesque attempt at a smile

synonyms see in addition imaginary

Examples of fantastic in a Sentence

Adjective

The train runs at fantastic speeds.

a fantastic scheme for getting rich quick

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Here many of the signals are mixed — but the vibes are fantastic. —Alex Travelli, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2024

Wow what a fantastic game btw @AlabamaMBB & @UNC_Basketball . —Ben Morse, CNN, 29 Mar. 2024

This compact machine is a fantastic option for anyone who loves to make ice cream every week. —Laura Denby, Peoplemag, 28 Mar. 2024

Service: Everyone loves fantastic service, including an offer built around your IP. 24. —Kary Oberbrunner, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024

The Zephyrus' battery result was fantastic, leading this portable pack. —PCMAG, 27 Mar. 2024

There are plenty of other fantastic options, including the Madewell Long-Sleeve Button-Up Shirt and Abercrombie Crisp Ultra Wide-Leg Trousers, so keep reading to see those and more. —Alexandra Domrongchai, Travel + Leisure, 27 Mar. 2024

Because Junior Wells, James Cotton and Sammy Lawhorn, all sorts of fantastic artists, would always be there. —Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 26 Mar. 2024

Plus, Bose is offering Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Earbuds for $50 off, boasting spatial audio for fantastic sound and personalized noise cancellation. —Michael Stefanov, Travel + Leisure, 21 Mar. 2024

Noun

Since the end of World War II a quality of the fantastic has run through the conduct of U.S. foreign policy. —Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 3 May 2023

Smith renders the functional fantastic. —Adam Bradley, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2022

Gemini May 21-June 20 Life is taking a turn for the fantastic. —Tarot Astrologers, Chicago Tribune, 15 Mar. 2023

Mixed with this pastoral mood are the first hints of something uncanny, a fantastic of the everyday, as when Toprak’s character, Saffet, is seen smoking at the fairground, an amusement ride at his back, the shrieking bodies awhirl around his head like mad angels. —Yasmine Seale, Harpers Magazine, 5 Jan. 2021

Among the fire fights, there's mystery, mischief, and even a few stand alone anthology seasons — like season eight: Dreamland — that are down-right fantastic. —Melissa Sherrard, EW.com, 6 Jan. 2023

But the reading of Ti’s last wishes sets Josie on a journey to learn her mother’s history, to encounter the fantastic, to discover herself and her own power — and to fight. —Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2022

However, guest pianist Linda Gentille and Assistant Cruise Director Richard Rubin’s shows were over-the-top fantastic. —Debbi Kickham, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2022

After a banner 2021 for high-end genre films, industry vets are hopeful that the fantastic can resurrect the corpse of pre-COVID theatrical distribution. —Jamie Lang, Variety, 12 Feb. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

fantastic going back to Middle English fantastik "of imagination as a faculty, produced by the imagination, not real, unfounded, false, supernatural," borrowed from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French fantastique, borrowed from Late Latin phantasticus "of the imagination, deceptive, imaginary," borrowed from Greek phantastikós "able to produce the appearance of something, resulting from the imagination," from phantast- (stem in nominal derivation corresponding to phantasía "appearance, image, imagination" and phantázein "to make visible, present to the eye or mind, (middle voice) place before one's mind, imagine") + -ikos -ic entry 1; fantastical going back to Middle English fantasticalle, from fantastik + -alle -al entry 1 — more at fantasy entry 1

Noun

derivative of fantastic entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1598, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing fantastic

• trip the light fantastic

Kids Definition

fantastic

adjective

fan·​tas·​tic

fan-ˈtas-tik,

fən-

1

also fantastical

-ti-kəl

: produced by the imagination or like something produced by the imagination

a fantastic scheme

2

: extremely high or great

fantastic speeds

3

: excellent, great

a fantastic meal

fantastically

-ti-k(ə-)lē

adverb

fantasticalness

-kəl-nəs

noun