variants also phantasy
Definition of fantasynext
1
2
as in imagination
the ability to form mental images of things that either are not physically present or have never been conceived or created by others the painter gave free rein to his fantasy to create pictures that capture the kind of reality we experience only in our dreams

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in fiction
something that is the product of the imagination we were coming to the conclusion that the person Karen "saw" in the woods was another one of her fantasies

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fantasy

2 of 2

verb

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fantasy
Noun
Allen absolutely deserves to be the QB1 in fantasy football this year, and taking him around pick 23 isn’t a bad selection. Steve Bradshaw, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 There can be no complaints about the draft order in this fantasy football league. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026 Big Fish Tim Burton’s 2003 adaptation of the novel of the same name is a visual feast and ideal for teens who like fantasy and fairytales. Kara Nesvig, Parents, 29 Aug. 2026 My new cozy fantasy romance, The Hocus Pocus Handbook, offers softness, tenderness and a safe space for readers, just as my counseling office will for clients. Ann Aguirre, PEOPLE, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fantasy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fantasy
Noun
  • Meanwhile, the Young Bucks will challenge Adam Copeland and Christian Cage for the AEW World Tag Team Championship in a dream match between teams from different generations.
    Rob Wolkenbrod, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Pop, in making his dream a reality, became a hero and a torchbearer.
    Taran Dugal, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Thematic methodologies have been one of the downfalls of contemporary museology (and art history) generally, a crisis of collective memory and the historical imagination overall.
    George Baker, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Most people carry extraordinary stories worth telling, and raw imagination is rarely the limiting factor.
    Coco Mao, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Sanft argued his client’s account was pure fiction, and that investigators failed to quickly and vigorously corroborate it for a reason.
    Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 1 Sep. 2026
  • One of the fears concerning AI in fiction filmmaking is that the medium of cinema could lose the value of the empathic connection people have with other humans.
    Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Companies are imagining what AI might make possible, and making moves before fully understanding how to get there.
    Maria Colacurcio, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Superstitious Romans imagined demons lurking in the darkness under the toilet seats.
    Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • This is the illusion that the Rankine of Triage has abandoned.
    Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The illusion of molten steel was basically water and mineral oil mixed with a little powdered sugar; creative lighting and heaters placed below the cameras—plus a few CGI sparks in the background—did the rest.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Additionally, neurodivergent team members often bring high levels of creativity, problem-solving skills, and resilience under pressure.
    Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Cole did worry that curators might overemphasize the diagnosis, that King would no longer be an artist but an autistic artist, and therefore a symbol of something—resilience, perhaps, or liberation through creativity.
    Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Set in 1964 and based on a true story, the film tells the tale of a young journalist who tracks down a potential Nazi officer living secretly in New York and befriends the suspect’s charming wife.
    John Hopewell, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Like James himself, the men are clever and bookish, writing letters or diaries, reading voraciously, and imagining themselves into tales of romance and Biblical comeuppance.
    Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Even in the midst of this global struggle, Roosevelt contemplated the future and envisioned the critical role that a new United Nations might play.
    John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • But her team said DOLLYFEST will be the official celebration Parton herself envisioned, not a traditional memorial.
    Bryan West, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Fantasy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fantasy. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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