Definition

1. Noun:
   • Imagination unrestricted by reality: The faculty or activity of forming new, often unrealistic or improbable, mental images or concepts not present to the senses.
   • A product of such imagination; a fanciful mental image or daydream: A creation of the mind that is not based on fact.
   • A genre of fiction or a narrative work characterized by highly imaginative, supernatural, or magical elements: A story involving forces and beings not found in the real world.
   • A false or mistaken belief or idea: An illusion or misconception held by an individual or group.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The artist's work is a product of pure phantasy, filled with impossible creatures and landscapes.
  • As a child, she lived in a rich world of phantasy where she could talk to animals.
  • He writes popular science phantasy novels about interstellar empires.
  • The belief that wealth guarantees happiness is a common phantasy.

Advanced Usage

• "Indulge in phantasy": To allow oneself to engage in daydreaming or imaginative thought.

  • After a long day, she liked to indulge in phantasy about traveling the world.

• "A flight of phantasy": An instance of highly unrestrained or extravagant imagination.

  • The novel's plot was a wild flight of phantasy that captivated readers.

Variants and Related Words

• Fantasy (n): The more common modern spelling of "phantasy," with identical meanings.

  • "Fantasy football" is a game based on imaginary teams.

• Fantastic (adj): Conceived or appearing as if conceived by an unrestrained imagination; extraordinarily good.

  • The movie featured fantastic special effects.

• Fantasize (v): To indulge in daydreaming or imaginative thought.

  • He would often fantasize about being a famous explorer.

Synonyms

• Daydream: A series of pleasant thoughts that distract one's attention from the present.
• Illusion: A false idea or belief.
• Fiction: Literature in the form of prose, especially short stories and novels, that describes imaginary events and people.

Related Phrases

• World of phantasy: A state or realm existing only in the imagination.
  • The video game transports players to a detailed world of phantasy.

Related Idioms

• Build castles in the air / Build castles in Spain: To create unrealistic plans or dreams; to engage in phantasy.
  • Planning to buy a yacht with his salary was just building castles in the air.

Noun

1. imagination unrestricted by reality
   • a schoolgirl fantasy
2. fiction with a large amount of imagination in it
   • she made a lot of money writing romantic fantasies
3. something many people believe that is false
   • they have the illusion that I am very wealthy