1
as in detailed
made or done with great care or with much detail
we're having a little get-together after the concert—nothing fancy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in excessive
going beyond a normal or acceptable limit in degree or amount
decided they would rather go without dinner than pay the hotel restaurant's fancy prices
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in dream
a conception or image created by the imagination and having no objective reality
a writer with a prodigious talent for creating fancies that captivate readers young and old
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in whim
a sudden impulsive and apparently unmotivated idea or action
is this a serious interest in music, or just your latest fancy that will be forgotten after a week?
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in liking
positive regard for something
now that he's rich he's taken a fancy to expensive sports cars
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in imagination
the ability to form mental images of things that either are not physically present or have never been conceived or created by others
to fans of Lewis Carroll, the animal creations of his fertile fancy are as real as any creature to be found at the zoo
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to imagine
to form a mental picture of
try to fancy, if you can, our mother on an elephant when she was touring India
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to enjoy
to take pleasure in
the teacher didn't fancy the idea of failing the student, even if he was the class clown
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Try This Instead
Try This InsteadFor
Try This
a fancy restaurant
an extravagant restaurant
a formal restaurant
a posh restaurant
a classy restaurant
a luxurious restaurant
fancy clothes
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fancy
Brad Bourque, Wired News, 1 Apr. 2025
Fewer than 30 or so fancy red diamonds larger than one carat exist in the public record, Farfan says.
—Kayla Randall, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Mar. 2025
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025
Blackall’s full-color illustrations appear on every spread, occasionally taking over storytelling duties when the sisters embark on wordless flights of fancy.
—Travis Jonker, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2025
David Peisner, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2025
Atletico will still fancy their odds of finally beating the 15-time winners in their favourite competition.
—James McNicholas, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fancy
Adjective
Scott Gilbertson From LEDs to fancy OLED models, these are our favorite televisions at every price.
—Brad Bourque, Wired News, 1 Apr. 2025
Fewer than 30 or so fancy red diamonds larger than one carat exist in the public record, Farfan says.
—Kayla Randall, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Mar. 2025
Noun
The other is Elon Musk—or Trump, depending on your fancy—whose own instability and unchecked power are a separate but equally urgent problem.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025
Blackall’s full-color illustrations appear on every spread, occasionally taking over storytelling duties when the sisters embark on wordless flights of fancy.
—Travis Jonker, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2025
Verb
Several, including Bishop, fancied themselves rappers or singers; a few had worked on the fringes of the music business.
—David Peisner, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2025
Atletico will still fancy their odds of finally beating the 15-time winners in their favourite competition.
—James McNicholas, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fancy
Adjective
-
Shah mainly prioritizes user experience, offers trustworthy course reviews, and creates detailed guides to build credibility and trust on the platform.—
Craig Lebrau,
USA Today,
6 Apr. 2025
-
True cut glass is created by artists moving a piece of glass against round blades in detailed patterns.—
Katie Akin,
Southern Living,
6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Sixty-one percent of Americans believe that excessive apologizing diminishes the impact of a sincere apology.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
-
Others turn to gambling or excessive shopping to cope, which can also make money problems even worse.—
Jeffrey Anvari-Clark,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
At the end of 2023, the now 30-year-old went from working a tech job in New York — his dream city — to moving into the spare bedroom at his 90-year-old grandmother’s home in Los Angeles.—
Athena Sobhan,
People.com,
3 Apr. 2025
-
As for his own ambitions, Drummond dreams of collaborations with cultural innovators like Pharrell Williams.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
But Greer is attempting to systematize a policy environment that is being by driven by fiat and decree, the whims of the man at the top.—
Dewardric L. McNeal,
CNBC,
6 Apr. 2025
-
The very structure and pacing of the film reflects the rhythm of a real game—tense, strategic and methodical, but always at the whim of whatever fate has in store.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Through the central screen there’s a number of ways to tailor the driving experience to your liking, including the level of regenerative braking.—
Trinity Francis,
Forbes.com,
27 Mar. 2025
-
The sandwich, which hit restaurants on March 17, is available in original, spicy and grilled, and comes with the fixings customers love including, juicy chicken (cooked to your liking), crispy bacon tossed in brown sugar and black pepper blend, Colby Jack cheese, lettuce, and a smoky BBQ sauce.—
Moná Thomas,
People.com,
24 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Meanwhile, your imagination and feelings of sympathy are heightened, which makes this an excellent day for working in the arts or in counseling fields.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
29 Mar. 2025
-
Mercury in Pisces is a completely different vibe — one that pulls us away from the hard facts and into the realms of intuition, imagination and spirituality.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
29 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Well, imagine a world in which the NFL plays an 18-game regular season.—
Jim Reineking,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2025
-
The lesson was that, for integration to work in the way the Court had imagined with Brown, the whole system needed to be desegregated.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
On Eid al-Fitr, Muslims may spend the morning in prayer at their mosque, then gather with friends and family to eat dinner, enjoy special sweet treats and give gifts.—
Lauren Costantino,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2025
-
For a chic, minimalist stay, check into Hotel San Cristóbal to enjoy its infinity pool and near-private stretch of coastline.—
Meagan Drillinger,
AFAR Media,
28 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fancy. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share