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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unsentimental
• pragmatic
• hardheaded
• practical
• realistic
• clear-eyed
• pragmatical
• 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

On the Github page for the quixotic project, coder ading2210 discusses how Adobe Acrobat included some robust support for JavaScript in the PDF file format. —Ars Technica, 15 Jan. 2025

Yet much like Carter’s earnest but quixotic attempt ... —Michael S. Rose, National Review, 4 Jan. 2025

Best Buy has a bunch of PlayStation 5 games on sale for super-low prices this weekend, but our top pick is Hideo Kojima's quixotic post-Metal Gear project Death Stranding. —K. Thor Jensen, PCMAG, 6 Dec. 2024

As so began a quixotic quest, snowballing into winter, cheered by skiers and snowboarders in Oregon and beyond, to raise about $200 million and wrest Mt. Bachelor from the corporate titans of a consolidating industry. —John Branch, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025

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