mythical

adjective

myth·​i·​cal ˈmi-thi-kəl 

variants or mythic

ˈmi-thik 

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

mythically

ˈmi-thi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• fabled
• fabulous
• legendary

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

My job is to look at this with fresh eyes and to be critical of this material without carrying the burden of holding up the mythical kind of nature of Fallout as a game. —Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2024

Imagine a fantasy writer conjuring visuals of their mythical creatures or a fashion designer experimenting with different garment styles. —Ian Shepherd, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024

Tatiana wore a lace gown with a hooded veil by Giambattista Valli, inspired by the mythical concept of a snow queen. —Elise Taylor, Vogue, 27 Mar. 2024

People gather around the flames to sing, dance and pray for an evening ritual called Holika Dahan, which re-enacts the demise of a Hindu mythical demoness, Holika. —Hari Kumar, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024

Sightings of the mythical Nain Rouge, a red hobgoblin or dwarf that appears on the eve of tragedy, date to Detroit's origin — so locals have reclaimed the spirit with an annual Marche du Nain Rouge to scare the demon away. —Detroit Free Press, 20 Mar. 2024

That suits its otherworldly and somewhat formal tone, which takes viewers deep into Japan’s mythical past for a quartet of eerie tales about lonely ghosts and vengeful spirits who bring supernatural justice to selfish and immoral humans. —Katie Rife, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2024

Its circular outline encloses the shape of a mythical creature: the basilisk. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2024

Not actually an accessory for the mythical creature, these small casings are the eggs of sharks and their relatives For around 455 million years, scientists believe sharks have been swimming the ocean's depths. —Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024

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

Kids Definition

mythical

adjective

myth·​i·​cal ˈmith-i-kəl 

variants or mythic

ˈmith-ik 

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

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb