Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

mythical

adjective
variants: or mythic

Synonyms and Antonyms of mythical

1 based on, described in, or being a myth

  • for years the Spanish conquistadors searched for the mythical El Dorado, a place of unimaginable riches
Synonyms of mythical

fabled, fabulous, legendary
Words Related to mythical

famed, romanticized, storied

chimerical (also chimeric), fabricated, fantastic (also fantastical), fictional, fictitious

fanciful, imaginary, imagined, invented, made-up, make-believe, pretend, unreal

allegorical, mythological (also mythologic)

semilegendary
Near Antonyms of mythical

actual, existent, real, real-world

historical

factual, true

attested, authenticated, confirmed, established, proven, substantiated, validated, verified

authentic, bona fide, genuine, real-life

2 not real and existing only in the imagination

  • the mythical unicorn
Synonyms of mythical

chimerical (also chimeric), fabulous, fanciful, fantasied, fantastic (also fantastical), fictional, fictitious, ideal, imaginal, imaginary, imagined, invented, made-up, make-believe, notional, phantasmal, phantasmic, phantom, pretend, unreal, visionary
Words Related to mythical

fabled, legendary, romantic

abstract, hypothetical, theoretical (also theoretic)

unbelievable, unconvincing, unlikely

conceived, envisaged, envisioned, pictured, visualized

daydreamlike, deceptive, delusional, delusive, hallucinatory, illusory, phantasmagoric (or phantasmagorical)

concocted, fabricated, feigned, fictive

inexistent, nonexistent
Near Antonyms of mythical

authentic, genuine, true

factual, verifiable, verified

believable, convincing, realistic

corporeal, material, physical, solid, substantial

palpable, tangible
Antonyms of mythical

actual, existent, existing, real

Synonym Discussion of mythical

fictitious, fabulous, legendary, mythical, apocryphal mean having the nature of something imagined or invented. fictitious implies fabrication and suggests artificiality or contrivance more than deliberate falsification or deception.
    • fictitious characters
fabulous stresses the marvelous or incredible character of something without necessarily implying impossibility or actual nonexistence.
    • a land of fabulous riches
legendary suggests the elaboration of invented details and distortion of historical facts produced by popular tradition.
    • the legendary exploits of Davy Crockett
mythical implies a purely fanciful explanation of facts or the creation of beings and events out of the imagination.
    • mythical creatures
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

Learn More about mythical

  1. Dictionary: Definition of mythical Spanish Central: Translation of mythical Nglish: Translation of mythical for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of mythical for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up mythical? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

zibeline

a soft lustrous wool fabric with mohair

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. nebulous Lip reading, Brexit, and semantic uncertainty

  2. synergy Mueller files Cohen details.

  3. slumgullion From the broadcast of 'It Happened on Fifth Avenue'

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games