Definition of fabulousnext
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Synonym Chooser

How is the word fabulous distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of fabulous are apocryphal, fictitious, legendary, and mythical. While all these words mean "having the nature of something imagined or invented," fabulous stresses the marvelous or incredible character of something without necessarily implying impossibility or actual nonexistence.

a land of fabulous riches

When is apocryphal a more appropriate choice than fabulous?

While the synonyms apocryphal and fabulous are close in meaning, 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

Where would fictitious be a reasonable alternative to fabulous?

The words fictitious and fabulous are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fictitious implies fabrication and suggests artificiality or contrivance more than deliberate falsification or deception.

fictitious characters

When might legendary be a better fit than fabulous?

The meanings of legendary and fabulous largely overlap; however, legendary suggests the elaboration of invented details and distortion of historical facts produced by popular tradition.

the legendary exploits of Davy Crockett

When could mythical be used to replace fabulous?

Although the words mythical and fabulous have much in common, mythical implies a purely fanciful explanation of facts or the creation of beings and events out of the imagination.

mythical creatures

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of fabulous The Westmeath Room has fabulous yellow and gold Mauny wallpaper and an opulent 18th-century French bed right in the middle. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026 Pull on your favorite sweater, grab your hot beverage of choice, and get ready to admire all the autumnal beauty at these US destinations that offer the perfect combo of fabulous foliage, outdoor adventure, fall festivals and events. Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026 Everything that makes Las Vegas fabulous — bright lights, over-the-top design, opulent food and drinks, and eccentric characters — can be found in spades at Peppermill Restaurant and Fireside Lounge. Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 10 Sep. 2026 On his earliest memories of beauty My mom was extremely fabulous. Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fabulous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fabulous
Adjective
  • The store became a key address for fashion enthusiasts through the years and has grown to include an e-commerce channel, and Fausti doubled her duties by taking on Milan’s legendary concept store 10 Corso Como in 2020.
    Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 21 Sep. 2026
  • London has given fashion some of its most legendary and acclaimed designers, among them Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano, and Lee Alexander McQueen.
    José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • That there’s a wonderful wedge salad to brighten up the plate is just icing on the cake.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Ornamental grasses are a wonderful way to spruce up your lawn or add some softness and movement to your garden.
    Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 15 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • The name traces back to Mary Jane, a fictional character in Richard Felton Outcault’s Buster Brown comic strip which debuted in 1902, who often appeared wearing the now iconic shoe style.
    Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Sep. 2026
  • But while the series is set in a fictional New England island community, many of its recognizable sights can be found just an hour north of Boston in Rockport, Massachusetts.
    Aaron Parseghian, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Why would anyone want to destroy lovely old houses, the same houses that made Kensington so desirable, and replace them with buildings that resembled a pile of washing machines 30 floors high?
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Their climactic scenes near the end, once all the obstacles have been removed, are lovely — and not just because Austen’s prose in their outcome is so indestructible.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Streep is voicing Aslan, the mythical lion who creates the mystical world of Narnia.
    Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Although the story of Odysseus binding himself to the mast to resist the Sirens’ song may belong to the mythical imagination, plenty of desperate souls have gone to heroic lengths to obstruct their wayward desires.
    Meghan O’Gieblyn, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Travis Hunter is an incredibly talented young player who did amazing things in college.
    Gary Davenport, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The sale offers amazing discounts across thousands of products, including my personal favorite category, toys.
    Anja Webb, Parents, 15 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Most writers don’t have those constraints, real or imaginary.
    Louis Menand, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Eleven gullible idiots were talked into acquitting because of an imaginary female ailment.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 20 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Her excellent debut, 2007’s Free Food for Millionaires, features upwardly mobile Korean Americans whose desire for security Lee portrayed both sympathetically and critically.
    Sanjena Sathian, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
  • If that feels unattainable, though, Baldino’s other spots are equally excellent and open to anyone.
    Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 21 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Fabulous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fabulous. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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