quixotic

[ kwik-sot-ik ]

adjective

1. extravagantly chivalrous or romantic; visionary, impractical, or impracticable.

   Synonyms: imaginary, fantastic, fanciful

   Antonyms: practical, realistic

2. impulsive and often rashly unpredictable.
3. (sometimes initial capital letter) resembling or befitting Don Quixote ( def ).

quixotic

/ ˈkwɪksəˌtɪzəm; kwɪkˈsɒtɪk /

adjective

1. preoccupied with an unrealistically optimistic or chivalrous approach to life; impractically idealistic

Derived Forms

• quixˈotically, adverb
• quixotism, noun

Other Words From

• quix·oti·cal·ly adverb
• half-quix·otic adjective
• half-quix·oti·cal·ly adverb
• unquix·otic adjective
• unquix·oti·cal adjective
• unquix·oti·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of quixotic¹

First recorded in 1805–15; (Don) Quixote + -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of quixotic¹

C18: after Don Quixote

Example Sentences

Yet his goofy, quixotic, quintessentially American optimism earned the character a following.

From Time

For months, he was semi-mocked for the seeming quixotic quirkiness of his coffee fasts and weight loss.

From Washington Post

The man who wants America to “think harder” has parlayed his quixotic presidential campaign into front-runner status in New York’s mayoral election.

From Freakonomics

With cities and states charting a declining demand for doses, some have turned to these audacious, outlandish and perhaps quixotic incentives to lure in vaccine apathetes.

From Washington Post

This broad group of politically homeless citizens is a tribe trying to transcend tribalism—and while that may sound quixotic, that is the story of America.

From Time

Some of his political actions can, in retrospect, seem quixotic, but they speak to an admirable courage of conviction.

From The Daily Beast

“Dana has become increasingly quixotic through the years,” a GOP Hill source lamented to the Beast.

From The Daily Beast

Resolve that this can and should be the year that zero preschoolers go hungry based on your quixotic grandstanding.

From The Daily Beast

Of course, his quixotic crusade to defund Obamacare will surely fail, but it made for some good TV.

From The Daily Beast

In November 2007, though, Dutschke seemed to realize his campaign was quixotic.

From The Daily Beast

It was Quixotic, and two hundred years ago could scarcely have escaped the pen of some French Cervantes.

From Project Gutenberg

Success to you, but don't for a moment think of carrying out that quixotic plan you first mentioned.

From Project Gutenberg

The quixotic are rarely successful, and success is the measure by which everything is judged to-day.

From Project Gutenberg

Don Quixote was always doing generous but rather foolish things, and the adjective quixotic now describes this sort of action.

From Project Gutenberg

She must not let herself be swept away by any quixotic sentiment.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• dreamy
• foolish
• impractical
• impulsive
• romantic
• unrealistic
• utopian