Synonyms of fanciful

fanciful

adjective

ˈfan(t)-si-fəl 

1

as in bizarre

conceived or made without regard for reason or reality

she harbors the fanciful notion that she has a talent for singing

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bizarre
• absurd
• foolish
• fantastical
• unreal
• insane
• crazy
• strange
• fantastic
• nonsensical
• preposterous
• ridiculous
• wild
• curious
• grotesque
• incredible
• peculiar
• odd
• weird
• implausible
• off the wall
• funny
• extravagant
• eccentric
• inconceivable
• unbelievable
• unimaginable
• unthinkable
• outlandish
• quirky
• ludicrous
• quaint
• surreal
• wacky
• farcical
• whacky
• laughable
• kinky
• outré
• out-of-the-way
• nightmarish
• dreamlike
• screwy
• queer
• Alice-in-Wonderland
• far-out
• kooky
• way-out
• kookie
• bizarro
• queerish
• Kafkaesque

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reasonable
• realistic

2

as in mythic

not real and existing only in the imagination

the fanciful creatures that J.R.R. Tolkien created for his Middle Earth novels

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective fanciful contrast with its synonyms?

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

a teller of fanciful stories

How does the word chimerical relate to other synonyms for fanciful?

Chimerical combines the implication of visionary and fantastic.

chimerical dreams of future progress

When could fantastic be used to replace fanciful?

The meanings of fantastic and fanciful largely overlap; however, fantastic implies incredibility or strangeness beyond belief.

a fantastic world inhabited by monsters

When is imaginary a more appropriate choice than fanciful?

The synonyms imaginary and fanciful are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 fanciful?

The words quixotic and fanciful are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, quixotic implies a devotion to romantic or chivalrous ideals unrestrained by ordinary prudence and common sense.

a quixotic crusade

In what contexts can visionary take the place of fanciful?

The words visionary and fanciful can be used in similar contexts, but visionary stresses impracticality or incapability of realization.

visionary schemes

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of fanciful

From the front, the striking white stucco exterior walls, pitched roof lines, fanciful turret and dramatic circular driveway — not to mention tulip trees — are just a preamble to the contemporary elegance found inside. —David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 22 Mar. 2025

Medina’s fanciful dog costumes mostly combine monochrome onesies with patches and other accessories for a cheery array of colors, while MC Dog’s costume nods to traditional Latin American patterns and Hattie’s hot pink look is accented with ruffles and glitter. —Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2025

What is meant to be fanciful can feel tedious at times. —Elizabeth Toohey, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Mar. 2025

On past outings, Rih has also stepped out in looks that paired fanciful fur coats with low-slung jeans and sneakers. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2025