variants also fantastical
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Synonym Chooser

How is the word fantastic different from other adjectives like it?

The words bizarre and grotesque are common synonyms of fantastic. While all three words mean "conceived, made, or carried out without adherence to truth or reality," fantastic may connote extravagance in conception or ingenuity of decorative invention.

dreamed up fantastic rumors

When is it sensible to use bizarre instead of fantastic?

The meanings of bizarre and fantastic largely overlap; however, bizarre applies to the sensationally strange and implies violence of contrast or incongruity of combination.

a bizarre medieval castle in the heart of a modern city

Where would grotesque be a reasonable alternative to fantastic?

Although the words grotesque and fantastic have much in common, grotesque may apply to what is conventionally ugly but artistically effective or it may connote ludicrous awkwardness or incongruity often with sinister or tragic overtones.

grotesque statues on the cathedral
though grieving, she made a grotesque attempt at a smile

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 fantastic The new Rivian version is fantastic. Corky Carroll, Oc Register, 18 Oct. 2025 Across almost 20 novels, the British author spun fantastical tales with unsentimental wit, infusing his work with darkly morbid humor, blithe child endangerment, rotten and antagonistic adults, and a willingness to occasionally laugh at the misfortune of others. Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025 Woolen made the Pro Bowl after a fantastic rookie campaign with six interceptions, 16 passes deflected, and over 60 tackles. Cameron Belcher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025 His ball placement is fantastic. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fantastic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fantastic
Adjective
  • As travelers crave experiences over ordinary stays, hotels that have transformed grim to glam are now embracing their bizarre and sometimes haunted histories, even hosting weddings and wellness retreats.
    Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025
  • But things take a bizarre turn when her son, Simón (Roger Príncep), goes missing.
    Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • First, and perhaps most obvious, the fictional thriller draws inspiration from the Manson Family's home invasion and murder of Sharon Tate and her friends, Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger and Wojciech Frykowski, as well as Steven Parent, who was visiting the home's caretaker.
    Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
  • The Heart of the Ocean may be fictional, but its legend feels real—modeled loosely on the Hope Diamond.
    Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Reykjavik—famous for its incredible local cuisine, colorful architecture, and easy access to Iceland’s many natural wonders—also took the top spot in last year’s report.
    Katie Nadworny, Travel + Leisure, 21 Oct. 2025
  • The eerie moments of darkness by day and the awe-inspiring sight of the corona are what make a total eclipse experience so incredible.
    Maya Silver, Outside, 21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • For the creation of wonderful characters and a story that feels spontaneous yet precise in its depiction of power, its moral dilemmas, and the absurd contradictions with the human condition.
    Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Walston had a wonderful calming spirit.
    Cameron Crowe, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The final sequence on the film’s set is perhaps the director’s most fanciful scene and an exemplar of meta filmmaking.
    Erik Morse, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
  • The space was as vast as an airplane hangar, at once utilitarian and fanciful—a Bed Bath & Beyond stockroom crossed with a cabinet of curiosities.
    Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • This is a marvelous, fun-loving year for you.
    Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2025
  • As one of the largest intact stretches of old-growth bottomland hardwood forests, Congaree National Park is marvelous in any season.
    Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Of course, specific local conditions vary on either side of that imaginary line.
    Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Now draw an imaginary line diagonally through the Dipper's bowl from Dubhe (the upper right star in the bowl) down through Phecda (the lower left star in the bowl) and extend that line downward about twice the distance between those two stars and that will bring you to the vicinity of Cor Caroli.
    Joe Rao, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • This is where the Greenpoint comes from, an excellent neo-classic riff on a Manhattan that was invented at Milk & Honey in New York, and comprises the classic build of Manhattan—rye, sweet vermouth, and bitters—into which has been spliced the inimitable French herbal liqueur, Yellow Chartreuse.
    Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2025
  • The Jayhawks did an excellent job of getting back in transition, limiting Louisville’s fast-break opportunities.
    Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 25 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fantastic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fantastic. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.

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