fantastic

1 of 2

adjective

fan·​tas·​tic fan-ˈta-stik How to pronounce fantastic (audio)
fən-
variants or less commonly fantastical
1
a
: based on fantasy (see fantasy entry 1 sense 2) : not real
b
: conceived or seemingly conceived by unrestrained fancy
fantastic new space and nuclear weaponsJack Raymond
c
: so extreme as to challenge belief : unbelievable
a fantastic industrial complex of steel, coal, machine tools, and other heavy industriesM. S. Handler
broadly : exceedingly large or great
spent fantastic sums on his library
2
: marked by extravagant fantasy or extreme individuality : eccentric
fantastic works of art
3
fantastic : excellent, superlative
a fantastic meal
fantasticality noun
fantasticalness noun

fantastic

2 of 2

noun

Choose the Right Synonym for fantastic

fantastic, bizarre, grotesque mean conceived, made, or carried out without adherence to truth or reality.

fantastic may connote extravagance in conception or ingenuity of decorative invention.

dreamed up fantastic rumors

bizarre applies to the sensationally strange and implies violence of contrast or incongruity of combination.

a bizarre medieval castle in the heart of a modern city

grotesque may apply to what is conventionally ugly but artistically effective or it may connote ludicrous awkwardness or incongruity often with sinister or tragic overtones.

grotesque statues on the cathedral
though grieving, she made a grotesque attempt at a smile

synonyms see in addition imaginary

Examples of fantastic in a Sentence

Adjective The train runs at fantastic speeds. a fantastic scheme for getting rich quick
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Every performance in Cape Fear is fantastic, but Juliette Lewis rises above the rest as the protagonist’s conflicted teenage daughter. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 9 Mar. 2024 Showgirls, Paul Verhoeven's movie about strippers, which is fantastic, by the way. Michael Calore Lauren Goode, WIRED, 7 Mar. 2024 While most snorkeling spots are prized for their fish sightings, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in The Keys has an additional draw: a statue of Jesus Christ (although the sea life is fantastic, too). Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2024 The headpieces and ensembles of Princess Irulan — the daughter of the Emperor (Christopher Walken) — were fantastic. Ingrid Schmidt, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Mar. 2024 There is an element of the fantastic to all this, and, if NASA were going it alone, Artemis would have grim prospects. David W. Brown, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 The view from the cupola, though, is said to be fantastic. Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Mar. 2024 But the fact is that this distillery only produces single malt whiskey, and the core range of age statement expressions are fantastic. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 1 Mar. 2024 The cast of the new Fantastic Four movie is already working on their fantastic chemistry! Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 25 Feb. 2024
Noun
Since the end of World War II a quality of the fantastic has run through the conduct of U.S. foreign policy. Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 3 May 2023 Smith renders the functional fantastic. Adam Bradley, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2022 Gemini May 21-June 20 Life is taking a turn for the fantastic. Tarot Astrologers, Chicago Tribune, 15 Mar. 2023 Mixed with this pastoral mood are the first hints of something uncanny, a fantastic of the everyday, as when Toprak’s character, Saffet, is seen smoking at the fairground, an amusement ride at his back, the shrieking bodies awhirl around his head like mad angels. Yasmine Seale, Harpers Magazine, 5 Jan. 2021 Among the fire fights, there's mystery, mischief, and even a few stand alone anthology seasons — like season eight: Dreamland — that are down-right fantastic. Melissa Sherrard, EW.com, 6 Jan. 2023 But the reading of Ti’s last wishes sets Josie on a journey to learn her mother’s history, to encounter the fantastic, to discover herself and her own power — and to fight. Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2022 However, guest pianist Linda Gentille and Assistant Cruise Director Richard Rubin’s shows were over-the-top fantastic. Debbi Kickham, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2022 After a banner 2021 for high-end genre films, industry vets are hopeful that the fantastic can resurrect the corpse of pre-COVID theatrical distribution. Jamie Lang, Variety, 12 Feb. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fantastic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

fantastic going back to Middle English fantastik "of imagination as a faculty, produced by the imagination, not real, unfounded, false, supernatural," borrowed from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French fantastique, borrowed from Late Latin phantasticus "of the imagination, deceptive, imaginary," borrowed from Greek phantastikós "able to produce the appearance of something, resulting from the imagination," from phantast- (stem in nominal derivation corresponding to phantasía "appearance, image, imagination" and phantázein "to make visible, present to the eye or mind, (middle voice) place before one's mind, imagine") + -ikos -ic entry 1; fantastical going back to Middle English fantasticalle, from fantastik + -alle -al entry 1 — more at fantasy entry 1

Noun

derivative of fantastic entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1598, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fantastic was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near fantastic

Cite this Entry

“Fantastic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fantastic. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

fantastic

adjective
fan·​tas·​tic
fan-ˈtas-tik,
fən-
1
also fantastical
-ti-kəl
: produced by the imagination or like something produced by the imagination
a fantastic scheme
2
: extremely high or great
fantastic speeds
3
: excellent, great
a fantastic meal
fantastically
-ti-k(ə-)lē
adverb
fantasticalness
-kəl-nəs
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on fantastic

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!