What does "romantic" mean?
A person with romantic character (a character like those of the knights in a mythic romance).
Romantic
/ɹoʊˈmæntɪk/ adj, noun, slang
adj, noun, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person with romantic character (a character like those of the knights in a mythic romance).
- Grammar: romantic is listed as adj, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: amorous, abstract, absurd, adoring.
- Useful contrasts: antiromantic, aromantic, nonromantic.
- Usage evidence: I went to the South Pacific for a summer of romantic adventure.
How to use "romantic"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "romantic" 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 "romantic" 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 "romantic" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "romantic" 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 "romantic" is acting as adj, noun, 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 "amorous" 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 "romantic", 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 A person with romantic character (a character like those of the knights in a mythic romance).
- 2 An artist involved in the Romantic movement.
- 3 a soulful or amorous idealist wordnet
- 4 A person who is behaving romantically (in a manner befitting someone who feels an idealized form of love).
"Oh, flowers! You're such a romantic."
- 5 an artist of the Romantic Movement or someone influenced by Romanticism wordnet
Adjective
- 1 Of a work of literature, a writer etc.: being like or having the characteristics of a romance, or poetic tale of a mythic or quasi-historical time; fantastic. historical
- 2 Of or pertaining to Romance.
- 3 Fictitious, imaginary. obsolete
- 4 Of or pertaining to Romanticism.
- 5 Fantastic, unrealistic (of an idea etc.); fanciful, sentimental, impractical (of a person).
"Mary sighed, knowing her ideals were far too romantic to work in reality."
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 Synonym of Romance. informal
- 7 Having the qualities of romance (in the sense of something appealing deeply to the imagination); invoking on a powerfully sentimental idea of life; evocative, atmospheric.
"But here is an artist. He desires to paint you the dreamiest, shadiest, quietest, most enchanting bit of romantic landscape in all the valley of the Saco."
- 8 Pertaining to an idealised form of love (originally, as might be felt by the heroes of a romance); conducive to romance; loving, affectionate.
"Their kiss started casually, but it slowly turned romantic."
- 9 Alternative letter-case form of Romantic alt-of
- 10 Experiencing romantic attraction.
"Elsewhere, I describe that, in addition to an asexual identity, another salient identity for asexual individuals may be a romantic or aromantic identity, which designates an interest (or lack thereof) in monogamous, intimate relationships (Scherrer, 2008)."
Adjective
- 1 expressive of or exciting sexual love or romance wordnet
- 2 not sensible about practical matters; idealistic and unrealistic wordnet
- 3 belonging to or characteristic of Romanticism or the Romantic Movement in the arts wordnet
Example
"I went to the South Pacific for a summer of romantic adventure."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "romantic"?
Common synonyms include: amorous, abstract, absurd, adoring, affectionate, affectionate.
How do you use "romantic" in a sentence?
I went to the South Pacific for a summer of romantic adventure.
How do you pronounce "romantic"?
Pronounced /ɹoʊˈmæntɪk/.
Etymology
From romant + -ic, or borrowed from Late Latin romanticus (“(of a poem) having qualities of a romance”). Compare French romantique, which is borrowed from English. Also compare Spanish romántico, Portuguese romântico, Italian romantico, Dutch romantisch, and German romantisch and Romantiker (“a composer of Romantic music”), all of which are borrowed from English or French.