fanciful

American  

[fan-si-fuhl] / ˈfæn sɪ fəl /

adjective

1. characterized by or showing fancy; capricious or whimsical in appearance.

   a fanciful design of butterflies and flowers.

2. suggested by fancy; imaginary; unreal.

   fanciful lands of romance.

   Synonyms:

   illusory, baseless, visionary

3. led by fancy rather than by reason and experience; whimsical.

   a fanciful mind.

---

fanciful British  

/ ˈfænsɪfʊl /

adjective

1. not based on fact; dubious or imaginary

   fanciful notions

2. made or designed in a curious, intricate, or imaginative way

3. indulging in or influenced by fancy; whimsical

---

Other Word Forms

• fancifully adverb
• fancifulness noun
• overfanciful adjective
• overfancifully adverb
• overfancifulness noun
• unfanciful adjective

Etymology

Origin of fanciful

First recorded in 1620–30; fancy + -ful

Example Sentences

"I'm optimistic enough, but I know that we have to work really hard so that optimism becomes a reality, not just a fanciful dream," he said.

From Barron's

“The idea that they don’t know how their own laws and regulations work seems fanciful to me.”

From Salon

Seems some committee decided they were too fanciful for an ordinary country church.

From Literature

Jack of Diamonds was a sparkly name he had lately been dropping in our midst, of this fanciful character he kept bragging about.

From Literature

The bright colors, asymmetry and fanciful woodwork of Queen Annes gained nationwide popularity in the late 19th century.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• absurd
• bizarre
• extravagant
• fantastic
• fantastical
• fictional
• imaginative
• offbeat
• preposterous
• unreal
• whimsical