Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective imaginary contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of imaginary are chimerical, fanciful, fantastic, quixotic, and visionary. While all these words mean "unreal or unbelievable," imaginary applies to something which is fictitious and purely the product of one's imagination.

an imaginary desert isle

How does the word chimerical relate to other synonyms for imaginary?

Chimerical combines the implication of visionary and fantastic.

chimerical dreams of future progress

In what contexts can fanciful take the place of imaginary?

In some situations, the words fanciful and imaginary are roughly equivalent. However, fanciful suggests the free play of the imagination.

a teller of fanciful stories

When is it sensible to use fantastic instead of imaginary?

The words fantastic and imaginary can be used in similar contexts, but fantastic implies incredibility or strangeness beyond belief.

a fantastic world inhabited by monsters

When could quixotic be used to replace imaginary?

Although the words quixotic and imaginary have much in common, quixotic implies a devotion to romantic or chivalrous ideals unrestrained by ordinary prudence and common sense.

a quixotic crusade

When is visionary a more appropriate choice than imaginary?

While in some cases nearly identical to imaginary, visionary stresses impracticality or incapability of realization.

visionary schemes

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 imaginary Few characters, real or imaginary, have sustained this type of stage and screen presence for so many decades. Michael Taube, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025 But Laura, used to getting away with murder, just neglected Daniel’s imaginary corpse after conjuring it. Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025 And not just because Staub celebrated by flashing an imaginary watch for the cameras. Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2025 Wobbling through space The Earth’s axis, which is an imaginary line running through the North and South Poles, is in constant motion, even though it is commonly depicted as a fixed line. Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for imaginary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imaginary
Adjective
  • Garcia-Hernandez allegedly has convictions for giving fictitious information, evading arrest, driving while intoxicated and fleeing police.
    Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Supervisors Janet Nguyen and Don Wagner raised concerns at the board’s Tuesday meeting about fictitious registrations following recent news of a dog that was registered to vote in two recent state elections and a lawsuit by the federal government over noncitizen voter records.
    Claire Wang, Oc Register, 24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Viewers will also have to use their imagination to visualize the central fictional city of Baktan Cross, which is a combination of Eureka and El Paso.
    Pat Saperstein, Variety, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Oral beauty brand Moon is gearing up for the holiday season ahead with a fan-favorite fictional character.
    Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • When strung together, these hand signs appear to form Long Count dates, the Maya system for reckoning absolute time since a mythic creation in 3114 BCE.
    Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2025
  • At the time, the character was 17 and owed his bendy superpowers to eating a mythical fruit.
    Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Imaginary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imaginary. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on imaginary

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