adjective
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wildly fanciful; imaginary
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given to or indulging in fantasies
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of chimerical
Explanation
Use the adjective chimerical to describe something that is wildly fanciful or imaginative — like the chimerical illustrations of magical creatures in a children's book. A chimera was a fire-breathing monster from Greek mythology made from three different animals: a lion at its head, a goat in the middle, and a serpent at the end. The first surviving mention of the beast is in Homer's The Iliad. From this fantastical creature, English created the adjective chimerical to describe wild figments of the imagination.
Vocabulary lists containing chimerical
Frankenstein
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100 SAT words Beginning with "C"
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"Simon's Saga," Vocabulary from Episode 7
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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.
Since then it has become clear that general-purpose robots that look and act like humans are chimerical.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 6, 2026
Which is to say, this was a precious, anticipated, frankly anxious affair — the materialization of a beloved and mercurial performer moving from the chimerical to the literal.
From New York Times ● Apr. 26, 2023
Two instances in recent culture capture the uncertainty of our present moment, forcing us to reconsider the locus of the chimerical enemy.
From New York Times ● Feb. 16, 2023
COVID-19 is a chimerical beast — symptoms evolve as the condition drags on, and can vary widely between patients.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2022
The rather chimerical notion of a nuclear bomb without radioactive side effects had emerged in late 1954 and had been embraced by Livermore, where it fit nicely with the lab’s brief to explore new ideas.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
