IMAGINARY Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'imaginary' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of imaginary are chimerical , fanciful , fantastic , quixotic , and visionary . While all these words mean "unreal or unbelievable," imaginary applies to something which is fictitious and purely the product of one's imagination. // an imaginary desert isle

Q: How does the word 'chimerical' relate to other synonyms for 'imaginary'?

Chimerical combines the implication of visionary and fantastic . // chimerical dreams of future progress

Q: In what contexts can 'fanciful' take the place of 'imaginary'?

In some situations, the words fanciful and imaginary are roughly equivalent. However, fanciful suggests the free play of the imagination. // a teller of fanciful stories

Q: When is it sensible to use 'fantastic' instead of 'imaginary'?

The words fantastic and imaginary can be used in similar contexts, but fantastic implies incredibility or strangeness beyond belief. // a fantastic world inhabited by monsters

Q: When could 'quixotic' be used to replace 'imaginary'?

Although the words quixotic and imaginary have much in common, quixotic implies a devotion to romantic or chivalrous ideals unrestrained by ordinary prudence and common sense. // a quixotic crusade

Q: When is 'visionary' a more appropriate choice than 'imaginary'?

While in some cases nearly identical to imaginary , visionary stresses impracticality or incapability of realization. // visionary schemes

imaginary

adjective

i-ˈma-jə-ˌner-ē

Definition of imaginary next

as in fictitious

not real and existing only in the imagination told by the psychologist that it was perfectly normal for their child to have an imaginary friend

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the adjective imaginary contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of imaginary are chimerical, fanciful, fantastic, quixotic, and visionary. While all these words mean "unreal or unbelievable," imaginary applies to something which is fictitious and purely the product of one's imagination.

an imaginary desert isle

How does the word chimerical relate to other synonyms for imaginary?

Chimerical combines the implication of visionary and fantastic.

chimerical dreams of future progress

In what contexts can fanciful take the place of imaginary?

In some situations, the words fanciful and imaginary are roughly equivalent. However, fanciful suggests the free play of the imagination.

a teller of fanciful stories

When is it sensible to use fantastic instead of imaginary?

The words fantastic and imaginary can be used in similar contexts, but fantastic implies incredibility or strangeness beyond belief.

a fantastic world inhabited by monsters

When could quixotic be used to replace imaginary?

Although the words quixotic and imaginary have much in common, quixotic implies a devotion to romantic or chivalrous ideals unrestrained by ordinary prudence and common sense.

a quixotic crusade

When is visionary a more appropriate choice than imaginary?

While in some cases nearly identical to imaginary, visionary stresses impracticality or incapability of realization.

visionary schemes

Example Sentences

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Recent Examples of imaginary Welcome to Caid modern tailoring proclaimed a sign next to a silhouette of a man in a fedora toting a briefcase down an imaginary Madison Avenue. —

Gary Shteyngart, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2025 Padilla said Mock Trial is a competitive activity run by the Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA) where teams from across the state compete in an imaginary case, either criminal or civil. —

Jacqueline Devine, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025 But even though there are sensible adults around her, Suzy still feels the need to create an imaginary friend who takes the form of a real-life Australian toxinologist named Jamie Seymour, who has a special interest in jellyfish. —

Chad Jones, The Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2025 Our mayor and City Council must stop pandering to developers by approving zoning laws based on fast, frequent, imaginary, future public transit. —

U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for imaginary

Recent Examples of Synonyms for imaginary

Adjective

Created by Chris Romano and Eric Falconer, who also are believed to be back for the sequel, Blue Mountain State is about a fictitious university, Blue Mountain State, and its football team, the Mountain Goats.

— Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2025
Last month, its editor revealed that A.I. had been used to tweak the Hungarian accents of its stars, Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones, and to create fictitious architectural plans and buildings for the closing retrospective of the main character’s career.

— Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2025