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
Former artistic director Victoria Morgan’s version of the story is appropriately fanciful and always has a few surprises tucked away, even for those of us who see it every year.
—
David Lyman, The Enquirer, 7 Aug. 2025
Those traits can be seen in Bahnsen’s work, which is fanciful yet wearable, marking a departure from old ideas of femininity where clothing had to be tight and short (and subsequently uncomfortable).
—Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2025
That idea seemed fanciful back in late February when Trump and Vice President Vance berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 28 July 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for fanciful
David Lyman, The Enquirer, 7 Aug. 2025
Those traits can be seen in Bahnsen’s work, which is fanciful yet wearable, marking a departure from old ideas of femininity where clothing had to be tight and short (and subsequently uncomfortable).
—Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2025
That idea seemed fanciful back in late February when Trump and Vice President Vance berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 28 July 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for fanciful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fanciful
Adjective
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But upon Bennet’s arrival, things take a turn for the bizarre, when the wealthy tycoon builds himself a prison cell in the basement, in an apparent act of meditative penance that forces Blakey into an inversion of traditional power dynamics.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
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Tasked with bringing into reality those that are a little further down on the bizarre end of the spectrum, the show’s prosthetics and VFX teams had their work cut out for them.—
Lisa de los Reyes,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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These charges are absurd and unjust.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
3 Sep. 2025
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The content is absurd, borderline uncomfortable and consistently viral.—
Leeron Walter,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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As Newton soon learned, there is a long runway between playing a fictitious, Regency-era ladies’ man and becoming one of the most recognizable designers in pop culture.—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vogue,
5 Sep. 2025
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The film is set in New Mexico, in the fictitious title town—population of two thousand four hundred and thirty-five, according to a road sign—where the election year sees the mayor also up for reëlection.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Grace can be a frustrating protagonist, making foolish, self-sabotaging decisions in pursuit of fleeting pleasure and conditional approval from guys who, frankly, aren’t worth her time.—
Katie Rife,
IndieWire,
4 Sep. 2025
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Placing stock in anything but winning might be foolish, especially given the nature of how the Steelers quarterback operates.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Steve Young lifts his arm, holding an imaginary football, preparing to throw.—
Seth Wickersham,
The Atlantic,
8 Sep. 2025
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Moreover, her five-letter titles refer to satellite navigation waypoints and fixes for aircraft flying in clouds or at night, that offer passage to imaginary locations defined by the interception of magnetic vectors drawn from the earth’s poles.—
Natasha Gural,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Over at Metropolitan State University, the on-campus gallery is presenting works from five Twin Cities Latino artists working across paintings, puppetry, photography and more focused on bestiarios, or fantastical, mythical beasts.—
Jared Kaufman,
Twin Cities,
7 Sep. 2025
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Renewal Through Setback Erik Marthon Olsen of Laerdal Invest chose the phoenix, the mythical bird that rises from its own ashes.—
Francois Botha,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Winocour’s intent seems to be to take the fashion world, in its slightly unreal glamour and money and power, and bring it gently down to earth and humanize it.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
9 Sep. 2025
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The air is fresh, the pace is calm, and the views are unreal.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Jessica Simpson, Ashlee Simpson, and Ciara, along with Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters stars EJAE, REI AMI and Audrey Nuna, who make up the fictional group Huntr/x will serve as presenters throughout the evening.—
Marina Watts,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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Binge the autumn episodes or watch the whole thing again for the millionth time to enjoy a fictional fall getaway.—
Toni Fitzgerald,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fanciful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fanciful. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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