Synonyms of quixotic

quixotic

adjective

kwik-ˈsä-tik 

as in romantic

having or marked by a tendency to be guided more by ideals than by reality

in this age of giant chain stores, any attempt at operating an independent bookstore must be regarded as quixotic

Synonyms & Similar Words

• romantic
• impractical
• idealistic
• utopian
• ideological
• idealist
• optimistic
• quixotical
• visionary
• hopeful
• starry-eyed
• starry
• zealous
• unrealistic
• sentimental
• messianic
• crusading
• moony
• rosy
• upbeat
• doctrinaire
• Pollyannaish
• moonstruck
• tender-minded
• dewy-eyed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unsentimental
• pragmatic
• hardheaded
• practical
• realistic
• clear-eyed
• clear-sighted
• tough-minded
• hard-nosed

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective quixotic contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of quixotic are chimerical, fanciful, fantastic, imaginary, and visionary. While all these words mean "unreal or unbelievable," quixotic implies a devotion to romantic or chivalrous ideals unrestrained by ordinary prudence and common sense.

a quixotic crusade

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

Chimerical combines the implication of visionary and fantastic.

chimerical dreams of future progress

When can fanciful be used instead of quixotic?

The words fanciful and quixotic can be used in similar contexts, but fanciful suggests the free play of the imagination.

a teller of fanciful stories

When would fantastic be a good substitute for quixotic?

While the synonyms fantastic and quixotic are close in meaning, fantastic implies incredibility or strangeness beyond belief.

a fantastic world inhabited by monsters

When is imaginary a more appropriate choice than quixotic?

The meanings of imaginary and quixotic largely overlap; however, imaginary applies to something which is fictitious and purely the product of one's imagination.

an imaginary desert isle

When is it sensible to use visionary instead of quixotic?

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

visionary schemes

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of quixotic

His performance here most recalls his tragicomic portrayal of John Brown, the heroic but unhinged abolitionist whose quixotic raid on Harpers Ferry helped catalyze the Civil War, in Showtime’s 2020 adaptation of James McBride’s The Good Lord Bird. —Judy Berman, Time, 23 Sep. 2025

New Delhi’s quixotic quest for multipolarity in the international system—that is, a world not structured around the hegemony of a single superpower or the competition of two great powers—has rankled Washington. —Moeed Yusuf, Foreign Affairs, 11 Sep. 2025

There’s a quixotic gallantry to appealing to a saner conservative and looking ahead to a post-Trump American politics. —James Folta, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2025

But Cruz’s quixotic effort did succeed in a couple of ways. —David M. Drucker, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2025

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