Phantasmagoric: meaning, definitions and examples

This word is used to describe something that is bizarre, dreamlike, or like a confusing sequence of images, often in a way that feels fantastical or eerie.

• The film's phantasmagoric visuals left the audience in awe
• His painting was a phantasmagoric blend of nightmares and dreams

This word usually refers to something extraordinary, imaginative, or highly unlikely, often used in a positive sense to describe whimsical or marvelous elements.

• The fantasy novel was filled with fantastic creatures and magical lands
• He told me a fantastic story that I found hard to believe

This word describes something that resembles a dream, usually in a peaceful, surreal, or ethereal way, often blurring the lines between reality and illusion.

• Her voice had a dreamlike quality that enchanted everyone
• The garden had a dreamlike beauty, as if it belonged to another world

Used to describe something that is oddly distorted and dreamlike, creating a sense of bizarre or unreal reality, often in an unsettling way.

• The scene outside my window was surreal, with fog and strange shadows
• His painting depicted a surreal landscape where nothing made sense

Describing something that is not real, but seems to be, and often used in a critical sense to denote something deceptive or misleading.

• The promise of easy wealth was illusory and led many into debt
• Her sense of control over the situation was, in reality, illusory