mythical

adjective myth·i·cal \ ˈmi-thi-kəl \

variants: or mythic play \-thik\

|Updated on: 12 Aug 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: mythical in a Sentence

Definition of mythical

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 career
—Clayton Riley

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mythically

play \-thi-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

See mythical defined for English-language learners

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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 of mythical from the Web

And while everyone loves a good flower perfume, this has been a strange turn for the Oman line, which made its name with dank, intoxicating elixirs of oud and amber with mythical names like Memoir, Fate and Epic.

— New York Times, "This Summer, Smell Like Fruit Salad," 2 July 2018
And if this is the move that finally puts Tesla across that near-mythical 5,000-car-per-week mark, maybe Musk should consider setting up Sprung 4—and using it for a whopping big party.

— alex davies, WIRED, "How Tesla Is Building Cars in Its Parking Lot," 22 June 2018
Those jobs seem almost mythical today, so the best Jordan’s character gets is a nonsensical, performative simulacrum of one.

— adi robertson, The Verge, "HBO’s Fahrenheit 451 turns a warning about media into a tirade against tech trends," 19 May 2018
Equally helpless is the well-meaning but hapless Sheriff Burnett (Italian western veteran Frank Wolff), who is ordered to the very mythical town of Snow Hill, Utah, to try to create some law and order.

— kenneth turan, latimes.com, "Spaghetti western classic 'The Great Silence' makes its proper U.S. debut after 50 years," 26 Apr. 2018
Indiana University Southeast Theatre Department show is set in the mythical town of Almost Maine.

— gege reed, The Courier-Journal, "Here's what to do in Louisville this week: Oscar watch party, Bourbon Classic & more," 28 Feb. 2018
Mark Zuckerberg: Palo Alto was kind of like this mythical place where all the tech used to come from.

— adam fisher, WIRED, "Sex, Beer, and Coding: Inside Facebook’s Wild Early Days," 10 July 2018
Mexico now will look to make good on its clean slate and reach that mythical fifth game.

— avi creditor, SI.com, "LIVE: Mexico Takes on Brazil Aiming to Snap World Cup Last-16 Curse," 2 July 2018
Piccioli referenced Greek gods and the mythical world on some prints, with gold brocade and lamé creating waves on other gowns and capes.

— rhonda richford, The Hollywood Reporter, "Valentino's Magical Couture Week Closer Leaves Tracee Ellis Ross in Tears," 5 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mythical.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of mythical

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1610

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

mythical Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of 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.