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Synonyms

fancied

American  
[fan-seed] / ˈfæn sid /

adjective

  1. unreal; imaginary.

    to be upset by fancied grievances.
fancied British  
/ ˈfænsɪd /

adjective

  1. imaginary; unreal

  2. thought likely to win or succeed

    a fancied runner
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of fancied

First recorded in 1560–70; fancy + -ed 2

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.

On his previous form behind Fact To File and fellow National rival Spillane's Tower, he can be fancied.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

Two teams fancied to challenge for the title this season produced a gripping day's entertainment as Surrey recovered from their early disarray to be all out for 328 in the last over of the day.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

Instead, the Admiralty fed information about their system to a naval officer named Frederick Dreyer, who was a capable gunnery officer but not the great inventor he fancied himself to be.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026

Odermatt, the reigning Olympic giant slalom champion who is fancied to add to his medal haul in Bormio, said training had differed from Wednesday's first run.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

“She had admirers, but she fancied Holt Nickerson,” Pa recalled.

From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney

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.