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Synonyms
Examples of pipe dream in a Sentence
His plan for starting his own business was just a pipe dream.
opening our own restaurant has long been a pipe dream
Recent Examples on the Web
Nearly two in five Gen Xers and baby boomers said financial success is a pipe dream; 20% of millennials, and 11% of Gen Zers, said the same.
—Jane Thier, Fortune, 29 May 2024
That leaves the party with only two pick-up options—Florida and Texas, and the latter is at the moment only marginally less of a pipe dream.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 6 May 2024
And speaking about a United States of America can be a pipe dream at times.
—NPR, 11 Apr. 2024
The camaraderie was enough to push aside pipe dreams of actually winning a prize, until one member asked Jones vice principal Sharon Reynolds to check the results of a weekend drawing in late January.
—Daniel Wu, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pipe dream
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pipe dream.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
from the fantasies brought about by the smoking of opium
First Known Use
1890, in the meaning defined above
Articles Related to pipe dream
Dictionary Entries Near pipe dream
Cite this Entry
“Pipe dream.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pipe%20dream. Accessed 15 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
pipe dream
noun
: an unreal and fantastic idea, wish, or story
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