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 The scene happened to be the first clip that Valencia had translated and dubbed a decade ago, when his quixotic project had begun. — Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for quixotic

Recent Examples of Synonyms for quixotic

Adjective

On the fall 2026 runways, romantic clothes arrived styled like everything else in your closet—a lace skirt with a cotton shirt, a gown with a combat boot, a ruffled collar over plain velvet trousers—and the shift is visible on the street too.

— Laurence Goldberg, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026
With a softly rounded outline and romantic facets, the cut evokes the era of craftsmanship that determined a diamond’s brilliance.

— Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of romantic

Adjective

Also, many families of rare disease patients spend years creating databases, known as natural history studies, so they can be used as control groups in trials instead of giving patients a placebo, which is often impractical and unethical.

— Gerry Smith, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
Texas law requires elementary schools to provide at least 30 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous physical activity, which can be cut to 27 minutes per day if scheduling makes the full amount impractical.

— Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of impractical

Adjective

Bacon’s own utopian fantasy The New Atlantis imagines a brave technocratic future, and seemingly predicts everything from submarines to genetic modification and the internet.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
The catalog of miracles run the gamut from utopian—such as curing cancer—to the mundane, including shorter lines at the Department of Motor Vehicles and easier access to government services for job seekers.

— Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of utopian

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“Quixotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quixotic. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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