ENGLISH
REFERENCE

fanciful

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈfænsɪfəɫ// UK //fˈænsɪfəl// fan·ci·ful

adj. having or showing a lot of imagination. You use this to describe ideas or stories that are creative but not necessarily realistic.

adj. characterised by or resulting from imagination; not necessarily based on fact or reason. Often used to describe creative or decorative designs that are imaginative rather than practical.


SIMPLE

The children built a fanciful castle out of cardboard boxes.

CONTEXTUAL

The architect's fanciful designs for the new library included floating glass bridges and curved walls.

COMPLEX

While the plot of the novel is fanciful, the author's descriptions of the local culture are remarkably accurate and grounded in historical research.

Synonyms
Origin

From fancy + -ful.

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