Definitions

fanciful

[fan-si-fuhl] / ˈfæn sɪ fəl /

ADJECTIVE

imaginary, romantic

Synonyms

STRONGEST

absurd bizarre extravagant fantastic fantastical fictional imaginative offbeat preposterous unreal whimsical

WEAK

aerial blue-sky capricious castles in the air chimerical curious dreamlike fabulous fairy-tale fancied fictitious fictive flaky floating ideal illusory imagined incredible kinky legendary mythical notional on cloud nine pie in the sky pipe dream poetic shadowy suppositious visionary wild

Antonyms

STRONGEST

normal reasonable sensible usual

WEAK

grave ordinary real serious sincere unfanciful unimaginative unromantic

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Or they resort to fanciful or half-baked plans if they get sick.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 15, 2026

And that isn’t a fanciful price — tickets for the final have listed for far higher.

From Salon • Jun. 14, 2026

The fourth becomes a sophisticated lesson in arpeggios and the last, a fanciful passacaglia.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026

That seemed fanciful, but their confidence has proved well-placed.

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

In preparation, men and women borrowed each other’s finery and planned fanciful disguises.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

Vocabulary lists containing fanciful

The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone

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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 6

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30 GRE Words Beginning with "E" and "F"

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