fan·cy
ˈfan(t)-sē 
fancied; fancying
1
: to have a fancy (see fancy entry 2 sense 1) for : like
He's all right, I suppose, but I can't say that I fancy him.
2
: to form a conception of : imagine
fancy our embarrassment
Just fancy my surprise when I heard that he was getting married.
3
a
: to believe mistakenly or without evidence
b
: to believe without being certain
she fancied she had met him before
real or fancied wrongs
4
: to visualize or interpret as
fancied myself a child again
plural fancies
1
a
: a liking formed by caprice rather than reason : inclination
took a fancy to the mutt
b
: amorous fondness : love
She took a fancy to the young man.
3
archaic
: fantastic quality or state
4
a
: imagination especially of a capricious or delusive sort
His plans to build a new stadium are the product of pure fancy.
b
: the power of conception and representation used in artistic expression (as by a poet)
6
a
: devotees of some particular art, practice, or amusement
b
: the object of interest of such a fancy
especially
: boxing entry 1
fancier; fanciest
1
: dependent or based on fancy : whimsical
2
a(1)
: not plain : ornamental
a fancy hairdo
(2)
: swank sense 2, posh
a fancy restaurant
b(1)
: of particular excellence or highest grade
fancy tuna
(2)
: impressive
posted some fancy numbers
c
of an animal or plant
: bred especially for bizarre or ornamental qualities that lack practical utility
3
: based on conceptions of the fancy
fancy sketches
4
a
: dealing in fancy goods
b
: extravagant
paying fancy prices
5
: executed with technical skill and style
fancy footwork
fancy diving
6
: parti-color
fancy carnations
Synonyms
Verb
- conceit [chiefly dialect]
- conceive
- conjure (up)
- dream
- envisage
- envision
- fantasize
- fantasy
- feature
- ideate
- image
- imagine
- picture
- see
- vision
- visualize
Noun
- chimera
- conceit
- daydream
- delusion
- dream
- fantasy
- phantasy
- figment
- hallucination
- illusion
- nonentity
- phantasm
- fantasm
- pipe dream
- unreality
- vision
Adjective
Examples of fancy in a Sentence
Verb
Which horse do you fancy in the Derby?
try to fancy, if you can, our mother on an elephant when she was touring India
Noun
His plans to build a new stadium are the product of pure fancy.
Critics have dismissed his plan as mere fancy.
Adjective
He drives a big, fancy car.
we're having a little get-together after the concert—nothing fancy
Recent Examples on the Web
Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Fashion designers have fancied them up for catwalks and store shelves.
—Leanne Italie, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2024
The gap in personal proclivities of those occupying Senate seats was very obvious during the many years when Feinstein, an uber-serious lawmaker, and Barbara Boxer, who fancied herself a political warrior, were California’s two senators.
—Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2024
Nonbelievers may suspect that the Christian notion of Providence is itself whimsical, in its conceit of a Creator who, one day, just fancied us into life.
—James Wood, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
Sam Champion seemingly fancies himself as morning TV's premier Daddy.
—EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024
The only laborers Ludvig manages to keep are a couple of runaway tenant farmers, Johannes (Morten Hee Andersen) and Ann Barbara (Amanda Collin), whom Frederik also fancies his own.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 2 Feb. 2024
The only laborers Ludvig manages to keep are a couple of runaway tenant farmers Johannes (Morten Hee Andersen) and Ann Barbara (Amanda Collin), whom Frederik also fancies his own.
—Katie Walsh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Feb. 2024
For those who fancy a freckled look, the Marine Drest freckle pens are a breeze to use.
—Cristian Esteban, Rolling Stone, 21 Dec. 2023
Katie Rife, EW.com, 28 Mar. 2024
Her songs combine a sense of frankness with regular flights of fancy, and often a knowing sense of humor.
—Sam Schulz, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2024
Sunscreen has become cool, thanks to an ongoing cultural obsession with skin care and brands like Supergoop, which makes daily sun protection feel fun and fancy.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 21 Mar. 2024
Marlon lived well but not diamonds-and-Rolls-Royce fancy, and he’d be bemused by some of the flashier guests who take routine R&Rs here.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024
Campillo sensitively captures the ensuing transition between childish fancy and disillusionment, which dovetails neatly with the Frenchmen’s apathetic shedding of colonial ideals — their days there are numbered, and everyone is waiting for the next chapter of their lives to begin.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024
Vietnam’s long associations with foreign entities allow for such fancies as pâté chaud, flaky puff pastry filled with a meaty interior of ground pork, foie gras, chicken pâté and diced jicama for some crunch.
—Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2024
But Lowe wisely saves the most definitive demise for the thought of being beholden to romantic flights of fancy rather than the realities of a relationship that goes two ways.
—Stephen Saito, Variety, 16 Mar. 2024
Explore South Carolina 12 of 20 Vero Beach, Florida
Over on the Sunshine State's Atlantic coast, Vero Beach offers the best of both retirement worlds: Shops and restaurants ranging from funky to fancy, plus with miles of hiking and biking trails, sandy shores, and wildlife refuges for exploring.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2024
Sonia Rao, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024
During the four-day affair, choose between fancy sit-down coursed dinners to walk-around tastings and relaxed grilling events.
—Angela Caraway-Carlton, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2024
There were seemingly endless plane rides ahead, some fancy dinners, and much exploring to be done, with little down time to pick up new outfits.
—Kristin Canning, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2024
There are several components to the machine (showerhead, brew basket, and reservoir lid, all of which are removable), but don't let the fancy looks intimidate you—setting up and using the coffee maker was foolproof.
—Michelle Rostamian, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Apr. 2024
And throughout the garden are little riots of succulents spilling from pots, baskets and even the fanciful nook built into their chimney, dotting the garden with jolts of color like fancy embellishments on a cake.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024
Aside from a fancy California roll, several Silicon Valley business leaders and Bay Area locals are on the guest list.
—Nollyanne Delacruz, The Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2024
Active Time: 5 mins Total Time: 5 mins Servings:
1
Ordering a bourbon espresso martini could make a person feel extra fancy or extra cheesy, but this drink is neither.
—Rishon Hanners, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2024
Over-the-top wealth is on frequent display in the form of designer clothing, big houses with servants and fancy cars.
—Common Sense Media, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
Verb
Mundo Deportivo explains that De Zerbi is also greatly fancied by the Barca board.
—Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Fashion designers have fancied them up for catwalks and store shelves.
—Leanne Italie, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2024
The gap in personal proclivities of those occupying Senate seats was very obvious during the many years when Feinstein, an uber-serious lawmaker, and Barbara Boxer, who fancied herself a political warrior, were California’s two senators.
—Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2024
Nonbelievers may suspect that the Christian notion of Providence is itself whimsical, in its conceit of a Creator who, one day, just fancied us into life.
—James Wood, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
Sam Champion seemingly fancies himself as morning TV's premier Daddy.
—EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024
The only laborers Ludvig manages to keep are a couple of runaway tenant farmers, Johannes (Morten Hee Andersen) and Ann Barbara (Amanda Collin), whom Frederik also fancies his own.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 2 Feb. 2024
The only laborers Ludvig manages to keep are a couple of runaway tenant farmers Johannes (Morten Hee Andersen) and Ann Barbara (Amanda Collin), whom Frederik also fancies his own.
—Katie Walsh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Feb. 2024
For those who fancy a freckled look, the Marine Drest freckle pens are a breeze to use.
—Cristian Esteban, Rolling Stone, 21 Dec. 2023
Noun
Compared to the lighter tone of Jun Fukuda’s movies, Terror of Mechagodzilla brings a darker tone to a story that still features such flights of fancy as an undersea kingdom, a mad scientist, and a brand-new kaiju, Titanosaurus, that’s best described as a bipedal seahorse.
—Katie Rife, EW.com, 28 Mar. 2024
Her songs combine a sense of frankness with regular flights of fancy, and often a knowing sense of humor.
—Sam Schulz, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2024
Sunscreen has become cool, thanks to an ongoing cultural obsession with skin care and brands like Supergoop, which makes daily sun protection feel fun and fancy.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 21 Mar. 2024
Marlon lived well but not diamonds-and-Rolls-Royce fancy, and he’d be bemused by some of the flashier guests who take routine R&Rs here.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024
Campillo sensitively captures the ensuing transition between childish fancy and disillusionment, which dovetails neatly with the Frenchmen’s apathetic shedding of colonial ideals — their days there are numbered, and everyone is waiting for the next chapter of their lives to begin.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024
Vietnam’s long associations with foreign entities allow for such fancies as pâté chaud, flaky puff pastry filled with a meaty interior of ground pork, foie gras, chicken pâté and diced jicama for some crunch.
—Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2024
But Lowe wisely saves the most definitive demise for the thought of being beholden to romantic flights of fancy rather than the realities of a relationship that goes two ways.
—Stephen Saito, Variety, 16 Mar. 2024
Explore South Carolina 12 of 20 Vero Beach, Florida
Over on the Sunshine State's Atlantic coast, Vero Beach offers the best of both retirement worlds: Shops and restaurants ranging from funky to fancy, plus with miles of hiking and biking trails, sandy shores, and wildlife refuges for exploring.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2024
Adjective
The drinks are comparable, though the newer place levels up by serving classic cocktails in fancier stemware.
—Sonia Rao, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024
During the four-day affair, choose between fancy sit-down coursed dinners to walk-around tastings and relaxed grilling events.
—Angela Caraway-Carlton, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2024
There were seemingly endless plane rides ahead, some fancy dinners, and much exploring to be done, with little down time to pick up new outfits.
—Kristin Canning, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2024
There are several components to the machine (showerhead, brew basket, and reservoir lid, all of which are removable), but don't let the fancy looks intimidate you—setting up and using the coffee maker was foolproof.
—Michelle Rostamian, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Apr. 2024
And throughout the garden are little riots of succulents spilling from pots, baskets and even the fanciful nook built into their chimney, dotting the garden with jolts of color like fancy embellishments on a cake.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024
Aside from a fancy California roll, several Silicon Valley business leaders and Bay Area locals are on the guest list.
—Nollyanne Delacruz, The Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2024
Active Time: 5 mins Total Time: 5 mins Servings:
1
Ordering a bourbon espresso martini could make a person feel extra fancy or extra cheesy, but this drink is neither.
—Rishon Hanners, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2024
Over-the-top wealth is on frequent display in the form of designer clothing, big houses with servants and fancy cars.
—Common Sense Media, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fancy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to fancy
Dictionary Entries Near fancy
Cite this Entry
“Fancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fancy. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fancy
2 of 3 noun
fan·cy
ˈfan(t)-sē
plural fancies
fancy
3 of 3 adjective
fancier; fanciest
1
: based on fancy : unpredictable
2
a
: not plain : ornamental
b
: of particular excellence
c
: bred especially for a showy appearance
a fancy goldfish
3
: done with great skill and grace
fancy footwork
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