Synonyms of chimerical

chimerical

adjective

kī-ˈmer-i-kəl 

variants also chimeric

as in fantastical

not real and existing only in the imagination

for the time being, interplanetary travel remains a chimerical feature of life in the 21st century

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fantastical
• mythic
• mythical
• fictitious
• fictional
• theoretic
• fantastic
• imaginary
• legendary
• fanciful
• theoretical
• phantom
• phantasmal
• fabulous
• imagined
• make-believe
• unreal
• ideal
• invented
• phantasmic
• fantasied
• notional
• visualized
• visionary
• imaginal
• made-up
• hypothetical
• pretend
• abstract
• romantic
• unlikely
• fabled
• illusory
• envisioned
• delusive
• unconvincing
• hallucinatory
• deceptive
• phantasmagoric
• unbelievable
• phantasmagorical
• conceived
• fictive
• envisaged
• pictured
• delusional
• nonexistent
• concocted
• feigned
• fabricated
• daydreamlike
• inexistent

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• real
• actual
• true
• existing
• genuine
• existent
• authentic
• realistic
• factual
• convincing
• verifiable
• physical
• substantial
• solid
• believable
• corporeal
• tangible
• material
• palpable
• verified

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective chimerical contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of chimerical are fanciful, fantastic, imaginary, quixotic, and visionary. While all these words mean "unreal or unbelievable," chimerical combines the implication of visionary and fantastic.

chimerical dreams of future progress

In what contexts can fanciful take the place of chimerical?

The synonyms fanciful and chimerical are sometimes interchangeable, but fanciful suggests the free play of the imagination.

a teller of fanciful stories

When is it sensible to use fantastic instead of chimerical?

The words fantastic and chimerical can be used in similar contexts, but fantastic implies incredibility or strangeness beyond belief.

a fantastic world inhabited by monsters

When can imaginary be used instead of chimerical?

The words imaginary and chimerical are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, imaginary applies to something which is fictitious and purely the product of one's imagination.

an imaginary desert isle

Where would quixotic be a reasonable alternative to chimerical?

While the synonyms quixotic and chimerical are close in meaning, quixotic implies a devotion to romantic or chivalrous ideals unrestrained by ordinary prudence and common sense.

a quixotic crusade

When might visionary be a better fit than chimerical?

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

visionary schemes

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of chimerical

Doing so risks indulging the chimerical hope that once liberal democracy has spread throughout the world, strategic competition will end and the United States can peacefully collaborate with like-minded states in a secure globe. —Elbridge Colby, Foreign Affairs, 4 Sep. 2020

The competition in both can be fierce, and the rewards can be chimerical, to put it gently. —Max Winter, Washington Post, 23 July 2024

Claims made for the abilities or perils of AI chatbots have often turned out to be mistaken or chimerical. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2023

Two instances in recent culture capture the uncertainty of our present moment, forcing us to reconsider the locus of the chimerical enemy. —Aatish Taseer, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2023