fancied
adjective
fan·cied
ˈfan(t)-sēd 
: imagined or believed to be true or real
a fancied resemblance
I can't remember any damn memo of mine at all, but I have the distinct impression that almost all of them were written in anger over real or fancied wrongs …—
James Thurber
James Thurber… like the split infinitive and other fancied lapses from verbal rectitude …—Kingsley Amis
Kingsley AmisExamples of fancied in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At odds-on favourites, Villa are firmly fancied to get the better of their Bundesliga opponents and lift that Europa League trophy.
—
Graham Ruthven,
New York Times,
19 May 2026
Authoritarian regimes the world over have relied on enmities, real or fancied, to suppress their own people.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
6 May 2025
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.
Graham Ruthven,
New York Times,
19 May 2026
Authoritarian regimes the world over have relied on enmities, real or fancied, to suppress their own people.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
6 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fancied.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fancied. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
