variants
also phantasy
1
as in dream
a conception or image created by the imagination and having no objective reality
a constant daydreamer who started to believe his own fantasies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in imagination
the ability to form mental images of things that either are not physically present or have never been conceived or created by others
the painter gave free rein to his fantasy to create pictures that capture the kind of reality we experience only in our dreams
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in fiction
something that is the product of the imagination
we were coming to the conclusion that the person Karen "saw" in the woods was another one of her fantasies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to imagine
to form a mental picture of
She regularly fantasies exciting adventures.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 fantasy
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 7 May 2025
In Vuong’s earlier work, the maternal function could not be separated from a fantasy of the mother’s body; in The Emperor of Gladness, that function has been dispersed into the concrete reality of a fast-casual restaurant.
—Andrea Long Chu, Vulture, 6 May 2025
And so, for André, getting dressed was an act of autobiography, and also mischief and fantasy, and so much else at once.
—Angela Yang, NBC news, 6 May 2025
Notes on Riley Quick, Henry Ford, as well as some top names for 2026
Concerning fantasy baseball 2025 performances from Roki Sasaki, Cody Bellinger and more
Zack Meisel is a senior writer for The Athletic covering the Cleveland Guardians and Major League Baseball.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fantasy
Noun
Disney executives have also noted the new ESPN streaming outlet will nod more obviously to wagering and fantasy sports.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 7 May 2025
In Vuong’s earlier work, the maternal function could not be separated from a fantasy of the mother’s body; in The Emperor of Gladness, that function has been dispersed into the concrete reality of a fast-casual restaurant.
—Andrea Long Chu, Vulture, 6 May 2025
And so, for André, getting dressed was an act of autobiography, and also mischief and fantasy, and so much else at once.
—Angela Yang, NBC news, 6 May 2025
Notes on Riley Quick, Henry Ford, as well as some top names for 2026
Concerning fantasy baseball 2025 performances from Roki Sasaki, Cody Bellinger and more
Zack Meisel is a senior writer for The Athletic covering the Cleveland Guardians and Major League Baseball.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fantasy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fantasy
Noun
-
Career experts agree dream jobs and large salaries don't always come right away.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
10 May 2025
-
Below, Francis reflects back on his most memorable moments onstage and looks forward to his dream career.—
Seija Rankin,
HollywoodReporter,
9 May 2025
Noun
-
Think about what your family values about toys — their ability to teach and to ignite your kids’ imaginations while keeping them occupied for long stretches of time — and then commit to only bringing home toys that fit that criteria.—
Stephanie Ganz,
Parents,
16 May 2025
-
In the 1950s, his James Bond books quickly captured the public's imagination and became an enduring pop culture phenomenon.—
Milton Guevara,
NPR,
15 May 2025
Noun
-
In this fiction, the Crusades were not waged against Moors, but against elves – a race said to devour the flesh of humans, among other atrocities that are neither confirmed nor denied by the end of the story.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2025
-
And the contemporary women’s fiction category, where Reid is often listed, ended 2024 with a nearly 30% increase in sales over 2019 numbers, according to analyst Kristen McLean.—
Lucy Feldman,
Time,
15 May 2025
Verb
-
Xu began to imagine what this might mean for people with cancer if histotripsy activates the human immune system in a similar way.—
Kristen Jordan Shamus,
USA Today,
19 May 2025
-
The easiest life to imagine was the life of the man who ran the ferry.—
Patricia Lockwood,
New Yorker,
18 May 2025
Noun
-
These daydreams of quality might just be delusions.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
25 Mar. 2025
-
Starting with a dreamy conjunction between Venus and Neptune in Pisces on Feb. 1, don’t be surprised if your love life feels extra enchanting — indulge in your daydreams and let your imagination guide you.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
7 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
In attempt to draw up intrigue for the upcoming season, teams flex their creativity in order to have the most memorable moment.—
C. Isaiah Smalls II,
Miami Herald,
15 May 2025
-
In some business situations, the need for creativity is obvious: research and development, new business pitches, user experience strategies.—
Janine MacLachlan,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
Noun
-
Whereas most stablecoins are backed up by a mix of cash and other assets to match the value of tokens in circulation, Kwon’s invention was instead backed by a complex set of code.—
MacKenzie Sigalos,
CNBC,
8 May 2025
-
The past three years of war have seen Ukraine's brave defenders make massive military advancements, as battlefield necessity has become the mother of invention.—
Ilan Berman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 May 2025
Verb
-
Still, White remains hopeful for revitalization, envisioning Dolton as a tourist destination with the pope’s former home and parish drawing visitors.—
Mike Nolan,
Chicago Tribune,
10 May 2025
-
Many organizations envision a rapid rollout of AI solutions, only to face delays that can stretch much longer than planned.—
Erez Meltzer,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fantasy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fantasy. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share