Synonyms of legendary

legendary

adjective

ˈle-jən-ˌder-ē 

as in mythical

based on, described in, or being a myth

the unicorn is a legendary creature

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mythical
• famed
• fabled
• mythological
• fabulous
• fictional
• storied
• fictitious
• invented
• imaginary
• romanticized
• chimerical
• fanciful
• fantastic
• unreal
• make-believe
• imagined
• fabricated
• allegorical
• pretend
• made-up
• semilegendary

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• actual
• real
• historical
• real-world
• true
• existent
• factual
• confirmed
• established
• authentic
• genuine
• real-life
• proven
• bona fide
• validated
• attested
• authenticated
• substantiated
• verified

Synonym Chooser

How is the word legendary distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of legendary are apocryphal, fabulous, fictitious, and mythical. While all these words mean "having the nature of something imagined or invented," legendary suggests the elaboration of invented details and distortion of historical facts produced by popular tradition.

the legendary exploits of Davy Crockett

When would apocryphal be a good substitute for legendary?

In some situations, the words apocryphal and legendary are roughly equivalent. However, apocryphal implies an unknown or dubious source or origin or may imply that the thing itself is dubious or inaccurate.

a book that repeats many apocryphal stories

In what contexts can fabulous take the place of legendary?

While the synonyms fabulous and legendary are close in meaning, fabulous stresses the marvelous or incredible character of something without necessarily implying impossibility or actual nonexistence.

a land of fabulous riches

When might fictitious be a better fit than legendary?

While in some cases nearly identical to legendary, fictitious implies fabrication and suggests artificiality or contrivance more than deliberate falsification or deception.

fictitious characters

When could mythical be used to replace legendary?

The synonyms mythical and legendary are sometimes interchangeable, but mythical implies a purely fanciful explanation of facts or the creation of beings and events out of the imagination.

mythical creatures

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of legendary

Streep, 77, continues to dazzle in films like The Devil Wears Prada 2—but the legendary actress is happy to step into the role of proud mom when supporting her daughter, Love Story’s Grace Gummer. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 29 June 2026

Production is underway on Monster Maker, a documentary about Stan Winston, the legendary special effects artist behind some of the most memorable and terrifying creatures ever put on screen. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 29 June 2026

Crafted using Birkenstock’s premium natural and suede leathers and centered around the brand’s legendary cork-latex footbed wrapped in leather, the collection is rendered in a palette of taupe and black. — Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 28 June 2026

Acuff had a historic season at Arkansas, where the 19-year-old point guard joined the legendary Pete Maravich as the only players to lead the Southeastern Conference in scoring and assists in the same season. — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 28 June 2026