Quixotic
adjective /kwɪkˈsɒtɪk/ — Exceedingly idealistic — chasing the impossible with conviction.
Definition
Exceedingly idealistic; romantic in a way that ignores practical realities. Pursuing goals that are visionary, impractical, or frankly impossible — but with such sincerity that the impracticality seems beside the point.
Beyond the definition
Quixotic is not entirely an insult. The word carries a tenderness — Don Quixote was ridiculous, yes, but he was also the only person in the room who believed in something. In a cynical world, quixotic conviction can look a lot like courage.
Origin & history
From Don Quixote — Cervantes's 1605 novel about a man so addicted to chivalric romances that he mistakes windmills for giants and ordinary life for epic adventure. His name became an adjective within decades of the novel's publication.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The whole plan was quixotic, but everyone in the room secretly hoped it would work.
She loved his quixotic belief that kindness always wins in the end.
Quixotic doesn't mean wrong. Sometimes it means early.
Synonyms
idealistic, visionary, impractical, romantic, chivalric
Antonyms
Related words
Quixotic vs chimerical
Quixotic describes an idealistic pursuit that is noble but impractical. Chimerical suggests a vision or plan that is purely fantastical and impossible to achieve.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Sincere Pursuit of the Impossible
An orator stands on a stage, holding a tiny, fragile seedling in one palm while a heavy iron chain hangs over their shoulder.
Attempting to balance the fragile growth against the weight of an iron burden is a visionary, impractical task. The sincerity in the orator's expression makes the impracticality seem beside the point, defining a quixotic pursuit of idealism.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration