as in romantic
having or marked by a tendency to be guided more by ideals than by reality
in this age of giant chain stores, any attempt at operating an independent bookstore must be regarded as quixotic
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Recent Examples of quixotic
Benefits of Custom Curtains in Modern Interiors Busy professionals love coming home to a modern space that is calming and closes the quixotic world outside the front door.
—
Gretchen M. Stone, Charlotte Observer, 19 Feb. 2026
Those performances seemed to put an end to questions about whether her ambitions for a medal in Cortina were real or a quixotic quest.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 8 Feb. 2026
The Luddites are back, wrecking technology in a quixotic effort to stop progress.
—Craig S. Smith, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
In the end, Dylan circles back to the quixotic nature of the task of describing Willie Nelson.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quixotic
Gretchen M. Stone, Charlotte Observer, 19 Feb. 2026
Those performances seemed to put an end to questions about whether her ambitions for a medal in Cortina were real or a quixotic quest.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 8 Feb. 2026
The Luddites are back, wrecking technology in a quixotic effort to stop progress.
—Craig S. Smith, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
In the end, Dylan circles back to the quixotic nature of the task of describing Willie Nelson.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quixotic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quixotic
Adjective
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Universal’s romantic drama, based on Colleen Hoover’s novel of the same name, has grossed $45 million in North America and $79 million globally against a $25 million budget.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
5 Apr. 2026
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In honor of their fourth wedding anniversary, the couple—who had a secret wedding ceremony in April 2022—enjoyed a romantic dinner date at Bourbon Steak New York in New York City.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But the brief, costly, impractical service still became one of the most romanticized episodes in American history—a legacy wildly disproportionate to its lifespan.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
1 Apr. 2026
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The creator notes the concept suits cabins, RVs, and off-grid structures particularly well — anywhere grid ties are impractical or expensive.—
Munis Raza,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Les' idealistic vision is to use this breakthrough for the good of humanity.—
Sarah Rodman,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Mar. 2026
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Of funny, idealistic, scary-smart workaholics — coming up on three generations of them — who want to make things better by making things better.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But there will be no stopping progress, only a utopian, Fairey-like hope that those who come will be inspired to keep and nurture the magical qualities of the place.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
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The duo’s follow-up project Los Frikis, a drama based on true events about group of punk rockers in ’90s Cuba who cultivate a utopian refuge from society after deliberately infecting themselves with HIV, was similarly lauded.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Quixotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quixotic. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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