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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reasonable
• realistic

2

as in imaginary

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

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

Crafted with a corseted bodice and sweetheart neckline with a flowing skirt and dramatic train, the dress wholly evoked a fanciful, tender aesthetic. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2026

Anyway, Mulroney recently ended things with the girls in order to get married, which cued several fanciful attempts at revenge, which continue well after the trial has ended. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026

To fill that nostalgic envelope, the Beckers called on designer Kelsey Sundberg, who conceived a fanciful storyline for the interiors. — Hannah Martin, Architectural Digest, 21 Aug. 2026

That’s especially the case when the puppets belong to String & Shadow Puppet Theater, an Olympia, Washington,-based troupe known for its fanciful and lighthearted productions, presented each summer in a traveling tour. — Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026