adjective
far-fetched
so exaggerated or unlikely that it is difficult to believe
Where it comes from
English formed far-fetched from far and the past participle of fetch. It first described something brought from a distant place or time.
How the meaning developed
An argument whose explanation had to be fetched from far away seemed strained and unnatural. That figurative remoteness produced the modern sense improbable.
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Sources
Definitions adapted from Open English WordNet where applicable. License and attribution. Word-history text comes from Lexifour’s sourced social research; pages are assembled automatically, not individually fact-checked on every update.
Updated 2026-09-25. Report a correction.