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
David Frum, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2025
The names Feyre, Azriel, and Rowan, from Sarah J. Maas's fantasy universe, also gained popularity as pet names.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025
How does Trump get away with promoting fantasies to the American people?
—Michael Eric Siegel, Baltimore Sun, 12 Aug. 2025
First the couldn’t: This isn’t fantasy baseball, so there was nothing Stearns could really do to jolt the top half of the lineup.
—Jerry Beach, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fantasy
Noun
The slogan expresses an all-or-nothing fantasy: either the thrilling overthrow of settler colonialism in all the land of Palestine, or else the glorious martyrdom of the noble resistance.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2025
The names Feyre, Azriel, and Rowan, from Sarah J. Maas's fantasy universe, also gained popularity as pet names.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025
How does Trump get away with promoting fantasies to the American people?
—Michael Eric Siegel, Baltimore Sun, 12 Aug. 2025
First the couldn’t: This isn’t fantasy baseball, so there was nothing Stearns could really do to jolt the top half of the lineup.
—Jerry Beach, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fantasy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fantasy
Noun
-
An original work set in the world of 1950s ping pong culture, the film tells the story of Marty Mauser (Chalamet), a young man with a dream no one respects, who goes to hell and back in pursuit of greatness.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Running the largest sports media company in the world is a dream job for Pitaro, a lifelong Yankees fan who named one of his dogs Jeter (as in Derek).—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Moss designed the whimsical room with warm colors and materials to help invite imagination.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
6 Aug. 2025
-
Perhaps no instance of social justice looms larger in the popular imagination than the summer of 2020, when the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police provoked protests and riots across the country at the height of the pandemic.—
Andrea Long Chu,
Vulture,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
This kind of data delusion and fact fiction is, on the one hand, very sad, the mark of a man too fragile, impotent and incompetent to accept reality or withstand criticism.—
S.E. Cupp,
New York Daily News,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Evie, who at the start of the book is in the camp of idle, underemployed protagonists that stud much of contemporary fiction, begins to find meaning in her work.—
Lora Kelley,
New Yorker,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
If a highly fit teenage boy can die of heat stroke on a hot day, imagine the degree of challenge to older folks who typically are much less fit.—
Bryant Stamford,
The Courier-Journal,
7 Aug. 2025
-
The play imagines what would happen if President Abraham Lincoln's assassination wasn't exactly a bad thing for his insufferable wife.—
Nigel Smith,
People.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Your recurring daydream of spending unending hours splayed out on the beach should take place right here, on the beaches of Isla Verde, located on the edge of San Juan.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
26 July 2025
-
After stealing a security guard’s gun (and his wife’s Lorazepam), the mentally unwell husband and father contemplates some violent solutions to his problem during a couple of vivid daydream sequences.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
26 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Professionals who thrive will combine in-demand technical skills with human qualities such as creativity, empathy and critical thinking—abilities that artificial intelligence still can’t fully replicate.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Whether it’s outfitted with a bookshelf full of beloved paperbacks, a comfy chaise lounge, or a dedicated art table, the goal is the same: create a space that fosters rest, creativity, and quiet—no notifications.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Globalization itself had less to do with trade agreements than with technology—particularly the invention of the shipping container and the spread of broadband.—
Michael B. G. Froman,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Aug. 2025
-
The modern electric washing machine is one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The proposal envisions an up-front $1.5 trillion investment to give the fund 75 years to grow.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Aug. 2025
-
The Cubs haven’t plotted out Soroka’s schedule beyond that, but Counsell envisions Soroka needing more than one catch session before progressing to a bullpen.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fantasy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fantasy. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share