1
as in detailed
made or done with great care or with much detail
we're having a little get-together after the concert—nothing fancy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in excessive
going beyond a normal or acceptable limit in degree or amount
decided they would rather go without dinner than pay the hotel restaurant's fancy prices
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in dream
a conception or image created by the imagination and having no objective reality
a writer with a prodigious talent for creating fancies that captivate readers young and old
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in whim
a sudden impulsive and apparently unmotivated idea or action
is this a serious interest in music, or just your latest fancy that will be forgotten after a week?
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in liking
positive regard for something
now that he's rich he's taken a fancy to expensive sports cars
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in imagination
the ability to form mental images of things that either are not physically present or have never been conceived or created by others
to fans of Lewis Carroll, the animal creations of his fertile fancy are as real as any creature to be found at the zoo
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to imagine
to form a mental picture of
try to fancy, if you can, our mother on an elephant when she was touring India
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to enjoy
to take pleasure in
the teacher didn't fancy the idea of failing the student, even if he was the class clown
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Try This Instead
Try This InsteadFor
Try This
a fancy restaurant
an extravagant restaurant
a formal restaurant
a posh restaurant
a classy restaurant
a luxurious restaurant
fancy clothes
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of fancy
David Krumboltz, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2025
That's when global financial leaders met at a fancy hotel in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, and hammered out the details of a new global economic order that would take hold after World War II ended.
—Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 11 Apr. 2025
Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Mar. 2025
There’s nothing wrong with outlandish flights of fancy on the movie screen.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 28 Mar. 2025
Chad Graff, The Athletic, 11 Mar. 2025
Add in Unai Emery’s experience in Europe, and Villa will fancy their chances against most teams, including likely quarter-final opponents Liverpool (who could only draw 2-2 at Villa Park last month).
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, The Athletic, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fancy
Adjective
These were work trucks and nothing fancy until about 1940, when some automotive styling was used for a lightweight Ford pickup.
—David Krumboltz, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2025
That's when global financial leaders met at a fancy hotel in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, and hammered out the details of a new global economic order that would take hold after World War II ended.
—Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 11 Apr. 2025
Noun
The lemon juice and fresh parsley balance out the richness, while the blue cheese adds a creamy contrast that makes each bite feel a little fancy (without too much effort).
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Mar. 2025
There’s nothing wrong with outlandish flights of fancy on the movie screen.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
The New England Patriots have long fancied themselves a smart football organization.
—Chad Graff, The Athletic, 11 Mar. 2025
Add in Unai Emery’s experience in Europe, and Villa will fancy their chances against most teams, including likely quarter-final opponents Liverpool (who could only draw 2-2 at Villa Park last month).
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, The Athletic, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fancy
Adjective
-
The website Time and Date also provides detailed information about where and when to see the phenomenon.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
-
Sources said that long-form stories got good traffic, as did deeply reported service pieces, like detailed gear reviews.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Listen to this article The Aurora City Council at a meeting Tuesday is set to consider changes to the parking ordinance that police say will help with the excessive number of commercial vehicles being parked on city roads.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2025
-
Meanwhile, excessive rainfall from the weekend storms has led to river and creek flooding in areas south and east of the Kansas City metro.—
Robert A. Cronkleton,
Kansas City Star,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The bottom line: Uncle Sam's collection hat ruined the dream.—
Jason Clayworth,
Axios,
14 Apr. 2025
-
As a job seeker, personal branding can make the difference between landing your dream job and disappearing into a pile of resumes.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
TiVo and DVRs helped even more, but you were still limited by the scheduling whims of networks and hard-drive space.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Our daughters’ rights and privacy should not be subject to ideological whims.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The white sneaker can even be customized to your liking in subtle ways, from a high platform version to contrasting leather details in a variety of colors.—
Lina-Marie Baatz,
Glamour,
21 Apr. 2025
-
The new blushes are designed for the same purpose—treating skin as the primary focus, while the color can be customized to your liking.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
His idea appeared to be developing content about the club — not dissimilar to the manner in which Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have captured the imagination at Wrexham — and introducing Dagenham & Redbridge to new markets.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Francis captured the imaginations of believers and non-believers alike. 10:57 Pope Francis, whose time as head of the Catholic Church was noted for an everyman humility and outreach efforts to people of disparate backgrounds and faiths, has died at 88, the Vatican has confirmed.—
Phoebe Natanson,
ABC News,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Many theories have been floating around about what may have caused the rearranging with some guessing another stage and others imagining an extraordinary set design.—
Caché McClay,
USA Today,
24 Apr. 2025
-
Now, imagine a flood of political images, hateful memes and mocking videos from domestic and foreign sources taking over social media.—
Ernesto Verdeja,
The Conversation,
24 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Francis enjoyed immense popularity with rank-and-file Catholics during his 12-year papacy but struggled with conservative church hierarchy, sometimes finding himself at odds with traditional voices within the Curia.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2025
-
Buckwheat Though technically a seed, buckwheat is enjoyed in the same way as whole grains.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
21 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fancy. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share