Farfetched describes an idea or explanation that seems too unlikely or improbable to believe. When something is farfetched, it requires such a huge stretch of imagination that most people think it probably isn't true.

If your friend claims their dog ate their homework, drove to school, and left an apology note, that's a farfetched excuse. It's not impossible in the strictest sense, but it's so improbable that no one will believe it. A detective might reject a farfetched theory about how a crime happened because it relies on too many unlikely coincidences happening at exactly the right moment.

A simple, straightforward explanation is usually more convincing than a farfetched one that requires a dozen unlikely events to line up perfectly.

You might hear someone say “That's pretty farfetched” when a movie plot gets too ridiculous, or when a classmate offers an excuse that strains credibility. It's different from being impossible: farfetched things could happen, they're just so unlikely that reasonable people remain skeptical.