phantom

noun phan·tom \ ˈfan-təm \

Definition of phantom

1 a :something apparent to sense but with no substantial existence :apparition

b :something elusive or visionary

c :an object of continual dread or abhorrence

the phantom of disease and want

2 :something existing in appearance only

3 :a representation of something abstract, ideal, or incorporeal

she was a phantom of delight
—William Wordsworth

—

phantomlike

play \ˈfan-təm-ˌlīk\ adverb or adjective

See phantom defined for English-language learners

See phantom defined for kids

Examples of phantom in a Sentence

The book is about the phantoms that are said to haunt the nation's cemeteries.
The crisis is merely a phantom made up by the media.

Recent Examples of phantom from the Web

The $400,000 Phantom is Rolls-Royce’s signature vehicle, but the company has attracted much hype for three other models it’s released since 2009: the Ghost, Wraith, and Dawn.

— jaclyn gallucci, Fortune, "How Taking Down Confederate Monuments Just Covers Up a Larger Problem," 19 Aug. 2017
The Phantom V is still in use by Prince Richard and his family for state occasions today.

— david netto, Town & Country, "The Royal History Behind Hip-Hop's Obsession with Matte Black Cars," 16 Aug. 2017
The Mulsanne is a large luxury superliner of Bentley refinement and filigree that work flawlessly as luxurious separators from the competition, mainly the Rolls-Royce Phantom and Mercedes-Maybach S600.

— mark maynard, sandiegouniontribune.com, "2017 Bentley Mulsanne: A battle hymn of tradition and stoic provenance," 11 Aug. 2017
Phantom Ro slots in just behind at 4-1 also having visited the winner's circle in his first career outing on July 8 with a 2 ¼-length win.

— tim dwyer, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Sire Series and Gunnevera's return highlight busy racing weekend at Gulfstream Park," 4 Aug. 2017
There are 30 TNT stands opening up and another 50 Phantom stands across Sacramento, according to their websites.

— thomas oide, sacbee.com, "5 things to know about fireworks in Sacramento," 25 June 2017
The Phantoms won their third passing tournament championship on Saturday, defeating Upland in the finals of the Bonita tournament.

— eric sondheimer, latimes.com, "In a day of summer football, L.A. Cathedral proves best," 24 June 2017
Period drama Phantom Thread is due out in fall, and reunites Day-Lewis with his There Will Be Blood director Paul Thomas Anderson.

— emma dibdin, Harper's BAZAAR, "Daniel Day-Lewis Has Quit Acting Because 2017 Just Will Not Quit," 20 June 2017
The 60-year-old actor announced his retirement Tuesday, adding that Paul Thomas Anderson’s upcoming film Phantom Thread (out Dec. 25) will be his last.

— devan coggan, PEOPLE.com, "Revisit Three-Time Oscar Winner Daniel Day-Lewis’ Best Acceptance Speeches," 20 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'phantom.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of phantom

Middle English fantosme, fantome, from Anglo-French fantosme phantasm

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First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

phantom Synonyms

Synonyms

apparition, bogey (also bogie or bogy), familiar spirit, hant [dialect], haunt [chiefly dialect], materialization, phantasm (also fantasm), ghost, poltergeist, shade, shadow, specter (or spectre), spirit, spook, sprite, vision, visitant, wraith

Related Words

angel, daimon, familiar, genie, genius, jinni (or jinn also djinni or djinn), shaitan; double, doppelgänger (or doppelganger), fetch; lemures, manes; incubus, lamia, succubus, vampire, zombie (also zombi); cacodemon, demon (or daemon), devil, fiend, ghoul, imp

phantom

adjective

Definition of phantom

1 :of the nature of, suggesting, or being a phantom :illusory

2 :fictitious, dummy

phantom voters

See phantom defined for English-language learners

Examples of phantom in a Sentence

People claim to have seen a phantom ship floating on the lake.
A number of ballots from phantom voters had to be thrown out.

Recent Examples of phantom from the Web

Two decades earlier, a French mathematician who noticed unexplained peculiarities in Mercury's orbit declared a phantom planet named Vulcan was the reason for the movement of the smallest planet in our solar system.

— meg jones, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Solar eclipse flashback: When Madison astronomer thought he found new planet," 17 Aug. 2017
But in Miami, his elusive presence is almost phantom-like.

— emily l. mahoney and malu gaspar emahoney@miamiherald.com, miamiherald, "Did a rich Miamian help rig the Olympic site selection? Investigators want to know.," 17 Aug. 2017
The building also had quirks about it, including a phantom staircase workers found in the basement ceiling.

— mike danahey, Elgin Courier-News, "Developer preserving original details in Elgin's Tower Building," 7 July 2017
Or what about years ago when SEC officials robbed UCF of a potential victory over Georgia with a phantom offensive pass interference call against the Knights in the final seconds?

— mike bianchi, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Memo to Orlando City coach Jason Kreis: At least MLS refs aren't ACC refs," 6 July 2017
The perception of impropriety reached its zenith two years ago, when a lackluster Mexico team – the biggest draw at the gate – reached the final only after a series of phantom penalty kicks awarded suspiciously late in games.

— mark zeigler, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Soccer's Gold Cup returns to San Diego," 5 July 2017
Last weekend’s mind-bending eighth episode, with its nuclear bombs, phantom woodsmen, roach-frogs, and teenage romances, left the audience with plenty to unpack.

— janelle okwodu, Vogue, "How to Survive a Weekend Without Twin Peaks," 1 July 2017
Anjum builds her home in the graveyard where her ancestors are buried—the better to be close to them, and to a phantom sense of community and belonging that she’s denied elsewhere.

— neha sharma, New Republic, "Arundhati Roy Has Reinvented the Social Novel," 27 June 2017
The Muon g-2 experiment that the electromagnet is part of has begun its search for phantom particles, lab officials said.

— Aurora Beacon-News, "The search for phantom particles has begun in Batavia using a giant electromagnet," 2 June 2017

First Known Use of phantom

15th century

phantom Synonyms

Synonyms

chimerical (also chimeric), fabulous, fanciful, fantasied, fantastic (also fantastical), fictional, fictitious, ideal, imaginal, imagined, invented, made-up, make-believe, mythical (or mythic), notional, phantasmal, phantasmic, imaginary, pretend, unreal, visonary

Antonyms

actual, existent, existing, real

Near Antonyms

authentic, genuine, true; factual, verifiable, verified; believable, convincing, realistic; corporeal, material, physical, solid, substantial; palpable, tangible

PHANTOM Defined for English Language Learners

phantom

noun

Definition of phantom for English Language Learners

: the soul of a dead person thought of as living in an unseen world or as appearing to living people
: something that is not real and exists only in a person's mind
: something that is hard to see or achieve

phantom

adjective

Definition of phantom for English Language Learners

: coming from or associated with the world of ghosts
: not real or true or not based on something real or true
: not real but felt or experienced as something real

PHANTOM Defined for Kids

phantom

noun phan·tom \ ˈfan-təm \

Definition of phantom for Students

:an image or figure that can be sensed (as with the eyes or ears) but that is not real

Medical Dictionary

phantom

noun phan·tom

variants: also fantom play \ˈfant-əm\

medical Definition of phantom

1 :a model of the body or one of its parts

2 :a body of material resembling a body or bodily part in mass, composition, and dimensions and used to measure absorption of radiations

phantom

adjective

variants: also fantom

medical Definition of phantom

:not caused by an anatomical lesion

phantom respiratory disorders

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See words that rhyme with phantom Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for phantom Spanish Central: Translation of phantom Nglish: Translation of phantom for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of phantom for Arabic speakers

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phantom

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PHANTOM Defined for English Language Learners

phantom

Definition of phantom for English Language Learners

phantom

Definition of phantom for English Language Learners

PHANTOM Defined for Kids

phantom

Definition of phantom for Students

Medical Dictionary

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medical Definition of phantom

phantom

medical Definition of phantom

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