1
as in bizarre
conceived or made without regard for reason or reality
she harbors the fanciful notion that she has a talent for singing
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mythic
not real and existing only in the imagination
the fanciful creatures that J.R.R. Tolkien created for his Middle Earth novels
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fanciful
In Germany, Eintracht Frankfurt’s heady player sales have imbued them with cash and regulatory headroom but signing up to a commitment like Isak is fanciful.
—
Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 25 July 2025
Wild, fanciful murals are everywhere—on the bicycle shop, a parking lot, the patios of bars-mixed in with a totally eclectic mix of bookstores, galleries, cafes for coffee and multinational cuisines and a marijuana shop.
—Laurie Werner, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
Fairy Garden Accessories Let your imagination loose to repurpose wine corks in all sorts of fanciful ways for fairy gardens.
—Viveka Neveln, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 July 2025
Sharon and the staff want Ozzy’s feelings about the design of the Ozzfest stage, which this year is a fanciful depiction of hell.
—Erik Hedegaard, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for fanciful
Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 25 July 2025
Wild, fanciful murals are everywhere—on the bicycle shop, a parking lot, the patios of bars-mixed in with a totally eclectic mix of bookstores, galleries, cafes for coffee and multinational cuisines and a marijuana shop.
—Laurie Werner, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
Fairy Garden Accessories Let your imagination loose to repurpose wine corks in all sorts of fanciful ways for fairy gardens.
—Viveka Neveln, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 July 2025
Sharon and the staff want Ozzy’s feelings about the design of the Ozzfest stage, which this year is a fanciful depiction of hell.
—Erik Hedegaard, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for fanciful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fanciful
Adjective
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The indictment of Adams’ former top advisor came a day after another member of Adams’ inner circle became embroiled in a bizarre apparent bribery attempt involving a news reporter.—
Gloria Pazmino,
CNN Money,
21 Aug. 2025
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This week: Taylor Swift’s announcement of her upcoming 12th album leads to streaming gains across her catalog, Cardi B helps a Jay-Z fan favorite find new life, a 20-year-old metal cut goes viral for bizarre reasons and more.—
Jason Lipshutz,
Billboard,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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My point wasn’t that men have had a harder time than women — that would be absurd.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
19 Aug. 2025
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Given the already substantial spend on incoming transfers, suggesting the club needs more, possibly sending its spending past the $500 million mark, seems absurd, almost greedy.—
James Nalton,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The trailer is the latest installment in the film’s unique marketing campaign, which has featured seemingly authentic advertisements for the fictitious Rental Family Agency’s unique services.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
5 Aug. 2025
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For security purposes, ministry members use pseudonyms, usually their first name and a fictitious last name, and all mail comes to the church address at 400 East Westminster in Lake Forest.—
Gina Grillo,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Perhaps outright incarceration is foolish, but some responsibility should fall on the parents’ shoulders.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
21 Aug. 2025
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Given that association with the Trumps and their circle defines the club, Donald, Jr., would be foolish to expect less than a fifth of any profits.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Another transforms her into the enigmatic hostess of an imaginary cabaret, a nod to her Broadway performance in 2014.—
Elizabeth Grace Coyne,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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Human rights, utopias, interracial love, ambition, war and betrayal are the ingredients of this film crafted with archival images and an imaginary diary shot on 16mm film that expresses all the modernity of Cabral’s vision of the world.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Finding leaders who operate successfully across these tensions seems theoretical, borderline mythical at best.—
Dilan Gomih,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
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The redistricting was then lampooned in a political cartoon, showing the districts in the shape of a winged mythical beast.—
Amanda Castro
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Its immersive screen makes games look unreal, and the OLED panel blows everything else out of the water with its colors and contrast.—
Shubham Yewale,
PC Magazine,
8 Aug. 2025
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Cameron Goode: Being on that stage is just such an unreal experience.—
Joe Lynch,
Billboard,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Only one fictional character could draw attention away from Yankees-Red Sox: George Costanza.—
Larry Holder,
New York Times,
22 Aug. 2025
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The jackalope is a fictional animal that originated in North America and is characterized by a rabbit with horns or antlers.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
22 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fanciful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fanciful. Accessed 29 Aug. 2025.
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