What does "fantasy" mean?
That which comes from one's imagination.
Fantasy
/ˈfæntəsi/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: That which comes from one's imagination.
- Grammar: fantasy is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: absence of mind, absentmindedness, absorption, abstractedness.
- Useful contrasts: ancient civilization myths, concrete reality, earthbound tendencies.
- Usage evidence: Mathematicians are poets, except that they have to prove what their fantasy creates.
How to use "fantasy"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "fantasy" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "fantasy" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "fantasy" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "fantasy" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "fantasy" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "absence of mind" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "fantasy", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 That which comes from one's imagination. countable, uncountable
"Is not this something more than fantasy?"
- 2 imagination unrestricted by reality wordnet
- 3 The literary genre generally dealing with themes of magic and the supernatural, imaginary worlds and creatures, etc. countable, uncountable
- 4 something many people believe that is false wordnet
- 5 A fantastical design. countable, uncountable
"Embroidered with fantasies and flourishes of gold thread."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 fiction with a large amount of imagination in it wordnet
- 7 The drug gamma-hydroxybutyric acid. countable, slang, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To conceive (something) mentally; to imagine. transitive
- 2 indulge in fantasies wordnet
- 3 To fantasize about something). literary, transitive
"Perhaps I would be able to help him recapture the well-being and emotional closeness he fantasied his brother had experienced with his parents prior to his birth."
- 4 To conceive mentally; to imagine. intransitive
"Firſt I phantaſied that if I liſt to take vpon me the crowne and imperiall Scepter of the realme, now was the time propice and conuenient."
- 5 To have a fancy for; to be pleased with; to like. intransitive, obsolete
"Which he doth most fantasy."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
ancient civilization mythsconcrete realityearthbound tendenciesgerman geschichte
Example
"Mathematicians are poets, except that they have to prove what their fantasy creates."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "fantasy"?
Common synonyms include: absence of mind, absentmindedness, absorption, abstractedness, abstraction, adventure story.
How do you use "fantasy" in a sentence?
Mathematicians are poets, except that they have to prove what their fantasy creates.
How do you pronounce "fantasy"?
Pronounced /ˈfæntəsi/.
Etymology
Noun inherited from Middle English fantasie, from Old French fantasie (“fantasy”), from Latin phantasia (“imagination”), from Ancient Greek φαντασία (phantasía, “apparition”), from φαντάζω (phantázō, “to render visible”), from φαντός (phantós, “visible”), from φαίνω (phaínō, “to make visible”); from the same root as φάος (pháos, “light”); ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰh₂nyéti, from the root *bʰeh₂- (“to shine”). Doublet of fancy, fantasia, phantasia, and phantasy. Verb from Middle English fantasien, from Old French fantasier. Doublet of fancy.