fancy 1 of 3

fancy

2 of 3

noun

1
2
3
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

Try This Instead

For
Try This
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
The world of contemporary skiing is associated with fancy vacations, multi-national corporations, high-dollar season passes and expensive gear. Jacob Spetzler, The Denver Post, 20 Mar. 2025 At the time of its release, fancy people who considered themselves film aficionados moaned that Dumb and Dumber was the beginning of the end of civilization. Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 19 Mar. 2025
Noun
And, returning to Washington Sunday evening, Trump took a chance to double-down on the flurry of fancy, defending his empowerment of the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, to take a hatchet to the whole of government. Philip Elliott, TIME, 3 Feb. 2025 And, of course, each bottle is encased in Hermès’s signature orange-colored box (talk about fancy, right?). Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
Fresh from a superb WTA finals win in Riyadh, the American was fancied to compete hard in Melbourne. Tim Ellis, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025 Elsewhere, the Pittsburgh Steelers are in need of a quarterback with both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields not appearing to be fancied after a disappointing end to last season. Ben Morse, CNN, 11 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fancy
Adjective
  • Other strikers were floated by members of the recruitment team but, after poring over footage and receiving detailed feedback, Howe became transfixed.
    Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025
  • In that vein, conversations on trans identity are likely to be many viewers’ reference point for the movie’s subject matter, but Hughes-Hallet’s approach is remarkably detailed and informative, going beyond that lens.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • While many in the Vatican have held up St. John Paul II’s long and public battle with Parkinson’s disease and other ailments as a humble sign of his willingness to show his frailties, others criticized it as excessive and glorifying sickness.
    Nicole Winfield, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Summary Hemophilia disease prevents blood from clotting, which can cause excessive bleeding.
    Christopher Bergland, Verywell Health, 17 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Steven joined his father’s team as a walk-on in 2019 and shared during media day that playing for his dad was always a dream of his.
    Alexandra Hurtado, People.com, 22 Mar. 2025
  • This system must be a dream in Germany or France, or in states like Minnesota that maintain their roads to the highest EU standards.
    Mark Ewing, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • But the lockdowns made clear that the party was willing to sacrifice those gains, and people’s safety more broadly, at the whims of one man, Xi Jinping.
    Vivian Wang, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2025
  • But in this new climate, where corporate parents are hostage to Trump’s whims — MSNBC’s parent, Comcast, is, for instance, spinning off the network and likely hoping to sell it, which will need regulatory approval from Trump’s FCC — news divisions don’t seem to have much of a chance.
    Michael Wolff, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • But most coffee shops don't follow this closely, as the brewing machines allow baristas to configure water pressure, temperature, and other key variables to their liking.
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Crack the eggs into the wells, season them, and put the pan in the oven until the eggs are cooked to your liking.
    Cody Godwin, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • To gossip well—ethically, and aesthetically, too—a person needs sympathy alongside judgment: not merely information but imagination.
    Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Without naming and shaming his many imitators (and inspiring angry social media posts as a result), none approach their craft with the level of imagination and creativity that Carti does.
    Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Instead imagine your brain as a machine-learning model.
    Dalton Conley, TIME, 19 Mar. 2025
  • The Future May Be Port-Free Just imagine: no USB-C connector at the base of the phone, with only charging through a charging pad as an option, and with data synced exclusively wirelessly.
    David Phelan, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Gates, 69, recently said that outings at sports events are one of the ways the couple enjoys spending time together.
    Adam Carlson, People.com, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Guests also enjoyed live music from bands like Wide Awake and a U2 tribute band, along with plenty of Guinness, bar stations, and entertainment.
    Sam Navarro, Miami Herald, 16 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fancy. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on fancy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!