fancy 1 of 3

fancy

2 of 3

noun

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2
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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

fancy

3 of 3

verb

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a fancy restaurant
an extravagant restaurant
a formal restaurant
a posh restaurant
a classy restaurant
a luxurious restaurant
fancy cars
flashy cars
lavish cars
snazzy cars
swanky cars
fancy clothes
formal clothes
glamorous clothes
dressy clothes
fabulous clothes
extravagant clothes

Synonym Chooser

How is the word fancy distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of fancy are conceive, envisage, envision, imagine, realize, and think. While all these words mean "to form an idea of," fancy suggests an imagining often unrestrained by reality but spurred by desires.

fancied himself a super athlete

When could conceive be used to replace fancy?

The words conceive and fancy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, conceive suggests the forming and bringing forth and usually developing of an idea, plan, or design.

conceived of a new marketing approach

How do envisage and envision relate to one another, in the sense of fancy?

Both envisage and envision imply a conceiving or imagining that is especially clear or detailed.

envisaged a totally computerized operation
envisioned a cure for the disease

Where would imagine be a reasonable alternative to fancy?

The meanings of imagine and fancy largely overlap; however, imagine stresses a visualization.

imagine you're at the beach

When would realize be a good substitute for fancy?

While the synonyms realize and fancy are close in meaning, realize stresses a grasping of the significance of what is conceived or imagined.

realized the enormity of the task ahead

When can think be used instead of fancy?

In some situations, the words think and fancy are roughly equivalent. However, think implies the entrance of an idea into one's mind with or without deliberate consideration or reflection.

I just thought of a good joke

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
Adjective
First, Grant and Juliana get to try on a bunch of fancy clothes while sipping champagne. Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 25 Feb. 2025 Cho, the celebrity demographer, praised a recent company plan to sell a few really fancy refrigerators in place of many adequate ones. Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
Noun
The trend for making these calendars at home has grown over the past few years, with companies selling blank options with pockets or boxes to fill with whatever suits your fancy. Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Dec. 2024 Squeaking Beyond 1-Bit To Nearly 2-Bit Another twist will perhaps catch your fancy. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
Verb
And yet Danielle is currently playing The Traitors so poorly — making big, sloppy, conspicuous moves, alienating potential allies, and fancying herself an Oscar-winning actress while displaying community-center theatrics — that even scene-stealing ignoramus Tom Sandoval has taken notice. Joe Reid, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2025 Mason urged his kid brother to make tracks for Mexico, but Michael didn’t fancy himself any draft dodger. Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 27 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fancy
Adjective
  • The Biden administration released monthly detailed data about removals and returns.
    Joel Rose, NPR, 1 Mar. 2025
  • See a more detailed comparison of iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 here.
    Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • There lies the problem: the intention to customize is honorable, but the execution—excessive repetition—like the extra spaces in Mail Merge, backfires.
    Jerry Weissman, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
  • The day before Tanna Rae died, the U.S. National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning for all of Arizona, coinciding with temperatures rising past 110 degrees.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • By Michael Cuby February 26, 2025 The Tanner Fletcher studio is an antique collector’s dream.
    Michael Cuby, Them, 26 Feb. 2025
  • In 1881, a young businessman named John Taylor moved from Columbus, Ohio, to Kansas City with a dream of starting his own store.
    Randy Mason, Kansas City Star, 26 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The iPhone had turned my mind into a version of a notification screen, and this tumult swept me up, subordinating my moods and mind to its whims.
    Charley Locke, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
  • Unlike the never-ending work of looking out and reacting – to misconceptions, questions, injustices – the flickering whim comes from within me.
    Rebekah Taussig, TIME, 24 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • President Donald Trump’s Oval Office thrashing of Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday laid bare the limits of a full-court press by America’s allies aimed at reshaping Trump’s determination to end Russia’s invasion even if the terms are not to Ukraine’s liking.
    Zeke Miller, The Denver Post, 1 Mar. 2025
  • And if Trump, as the new sheriff in town, occasionally decides on a whim to impose law and order, the results may not always be to Russia’s liking.
    Hanna Notte, Foreign Affairs, 27 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Regret is double suffering, while worry about the future is a misuse of imagination.
    Chris Westfall, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
  • However, the series never shows Proteus in action, leaving much of its menace to the imagination.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Surprisingly optimistic as dystopian films go, the film imagines a future where those older than 75 are rounded up and sent to live in what sounds like a huge concentration camp.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 22 Feb. 2025
  • If this awards season has felt draining to you, imagine what it’s felt like for the poor Oscar strategists.
    Nate Jones, Vulture, 22 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • While the show ran long this year, IndieWire’s review greatly enjoyed this year’s sincere and silly show as hosted by O’Brien in his first (and hopefully not final) stint.
    Brian Welk, IndieWire, 4 Mar. 2025
  • The best work-from-home companies also enjoy: Better productivity and focus: The work environment plays a significant role in productivity and focus.
    Bob Helbig, Hartford Courant, 4 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fancy. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

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