mythical

adjective

myth·​i·​cal ˈmi-thi-kəl How to pronounce mythical (audio)
variants or mythic
1
: based on or described in a myth especially as contrasted with history
2
usually mythical : existing only in the imagination : fictitious, imaginary
constructed a mythical all-star team
3
usually mythic : having qualities suitable to myth : legendary
the twilight of a mythic professional careerClayton Riley
mythically adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for mythical

fictitious, fabulous, legendary, mythical, apocryphal mean having the nature of something imagined or invented.

fictitious implies fabrication and suggests artificiality or contrivance more than deliberate falsification or deception.

fictitious characters

fabulous stresses the marvelous or incredible character of something without necessarily implying impossibility or actual nonexistence.

a land of fabulous riches

legendary suggests the elaboration of invented details and distortion of historical facts produced by popular tradition.

the legendary exploits of Davy Crockett

mythical implies a purely fanciful explanation of facts or the creation of beings and events out of the imagination.

mythical creatures

apocryphal implies an unknown or dubious source or origin or may imply that the thing itself is dubious or inaccurate.

a book that repeats many apocryphal stories

Examples of mythical in a Sentence

Hercules was a mythical hero who was half man and half god. gods fighting in a mythical battle in the sky The sportswriters picked a mythical all-star team. The benefits of the new policy proved to be mythical.
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.
And his government constructed a temple to Ram on the site of a former mosque in Ayodhya, the mythical birthplace of the eponymous hero of a Hindu epic. Hartosh Singh Bal, Foreign Affairs, 30 June 2025 Ozark Bathhouse, adorned with facade planters bearing pairs of mythical flying creatures, sometimes functions as a cultural center that hosts exhibits of arts and crafts. Arkansas Online, 30 June 2025 The films blend the mythical lore of trolls into a classic monster movie packaging. Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 30 June 2025 The company isn't using mythical manufacturing techniques or some futuristic battery technologies. Chad Kirchner, ArsTechnica, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for mythical

Word History

Etymology

mythical, from Late Latin mȳthicus "of myth, legendary" (borrowed from Greek mȳthikós, from mŷthos "utterance, tale, myth" + -ikos -ic entry 1) + -al entry 1; mythic, borrowed from Late Latin mȳthicus

First Known Use

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mythical was in 1610

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Cite this Entry

“Mythical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mythical. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

mythical

adjective
myth·​i·​cal ˈmith-i-kəl How to pronounce mythical (audio)
variants or mythic
1
: based on, described in, or being a myth
Hercules is a mythical hero
2
: existing only in the imagination : imaginary
the author created a mythical town
mythically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on mythical

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