QUIXOTIC Synonyms: 37 Similar and Opposite Words

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

Some common synonyms of quixotic are chimerical , fanciful , fantastic , imaginary , and visionary . While all these words mean "unreal or unbelievable," quixotic implies a devotion to romantic or chivalrous ideals unrestrained by ordinary prudence and common sense. // a quixotic crusade

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

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

Q: When can 'fanciful' be used instead of 'quixotic'?

The words fanciful and quixotic can be used in similar contexts, but fanciful suggests the free play of the imagination. // a teller of fanciful stories

Q: When would 'fantastic' be a good substitute for 'quixotic'?

While the synonyms fantastic and quixotic are close in meaning, fantastic implies incredibility or strangeness beyond belief. // a fantastic world inhabited by monsters

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

The meanings of imaginary and quixotic largely overlap; however, imaginary applies to something which is fictitious and purely the product of one's imagination. // an imaginary desert isle

Q: When is it sensible to use 'visionary' instead of 'quixotic'?

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

quixotic

adjective

kwik-ˈsä-tik

Definition of quixotic

as in romantic

having or marked by a tendency to be guided more by ideals than by reality in this age of giant chain stores, any attempt at operating an independent bookstore must be regarded as quixotic

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How does the adjective quixotic contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of quixotic are chimerical, fanciful, fantastic, imaginary, and visionary. While all these words mean "unreal or unbelievable," quixotic implies a devotion to romantic or chivalrous ideals unrestrained by ordinary prudence and common sense.

a quixotic crusade

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

Chimerical combines the implication of visionary and fantastic.

chimerical dreams of future progress

When can fanciful be used instead of quixotic?

The words fanciful and quixotic can be used in similar contexts, but fanciful suggests the free play of the imagination.

a teller of fanciful stories

When would fantastic be a good substitute for quixotic?

While the synonyms fantastic and quixotic are close in meaning, fantastic implies incredibility or strangeness beyond belief.

a fantastic world inhabited by monsters

When is imaginary a more appropriate choice than quixotic?

The meanings of imaginary and quixotic largely overlap; however, imaginary applies to something which is fictitious and purely the product of one's imagination.

an imaginary desert isle

When is it sensible to use visionary instead of quixotic?

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

visionary schemes

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 quixotic But what seemed over that time span to look like a quixotic effort has lately gained a new foothold in Democratic politics. — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 No Meaningful Updates The 11 Pro Fold's buttons and ports are almost identical to the 10 Pro Fold's, but there are some quixotic changes. — Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026 The quixotic odyssey at its center, with its hairpin turns and madcap improvisations, can seem like something sketched out by Jules Verne. — Danny Heitman, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Aug. 2026 Proposing federal-policy solutions to this crisis may seem quixotic when Washington is so dysfunctional and polarized. — Keith Humphreys, The Atlantic, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for quixotic

Recent Examples of Synonyms for quixotic

Adjective

People love spy stories, but there is nothing amusing, or romantic, about this one.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 17 Oct. 2026
The romantic Turing Test When Franky Vergara’s cousin asked him how to respond to a flirtatious Hinge message, Vergara, a 23-year-old living in San Diego, didn’t know how to help.

— Sneha Dhandapani, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of romantic

Adjective

Wearing impractical stilettos and clutching a massive Stanley cup, Trina is introduced to her new pupils.

— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Their potential applications include modeling advanced materials and chemical reactions, optimizing complex logistics networks and addressing some computational problems that are impractical for today’s systems.

— Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of impractical

Adjective

Though privacy concerns around these agents’ access may be terrifying in their own right, for now the utopian vision seems to be winning.

— Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2026
The vision of a utopian domestic future took a strange turn during the Cold War, marrying the breathless excitement of the space age with the existential dread of nuclear annihilation.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of utopian

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“Quixotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quixotic. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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