1
as in gauzy
being of a material lacking in sturdiness or substance
fairies are usually depicted as wearing gossamer or tattered clothing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fluffy
resembling air in lightness
the gossamer veil seemed to float about the bride as she walked down the aisle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in sheer
very thin and easy to see through
didn't see the gossamer spider webs until the sun hit them just right
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in froth
Related Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gossamer
Scotty Reiss, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Thanks to featherweight nylon ripstop, gossamer polyester mesh, and minimalistic DAC poles, the Tiger Wall 2 Platinum clocks in with a sub-two-pound minimum trail weight.
—Drew Zieff, Outside Online, 27 June 2025
Charles Q. Choi, Scientific American, 11 Dec. 2019
But his most impressive skill is the ancient art of gilding, using gossamer sheets of gold leaf just .12 microns thick to add a brilliant metallic effect to lettering.
—Jeff Csatari, Popular Mechanics, 9 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for gossamer
Adjective
Another design detail that is a must for Rolls-Royce is the Spirit of Ecstasy, the sculpture of a goddess leaning into the wind, her gossamer gown flowing behind her.
—Scotty Reiss, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Thanks to featherweight nylon ripstop, gossamer polyester mesh, and minimalistic DAC poles, the Tiger Wall 2 Platinum clocks in with a sub-two-pound minimum trail weight.
—Drew Zieff, Outside Online, 27 June 2025
Noun
Both would be coated with a gossamer-thin layer of gold for reflectivity and bathed in faint laser beams to detect their oscillations—and thus their temperature.
—Charles Q. Choi, Scientific American, 11 Dec. 2019
But his most impressive skill is the ancient art of gilding, using gossamer sheets of gold leaf just .12 microns thick to add a brilliant metallic effect to lettering.
—Jeff Csatari, Popular Mechanics, 9 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for gossamer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gossamer
Adjective
-
The smocked bodice hugs just right without feeling tight, and the gauzy cotton moves beautifully—light and breathable enough for even the stickiest summer days.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Sep. 2025
-
The post was accompanied by a new video for the song, in which Cyrus wears a gauzy white headdress and matching diaphanous, flowing gown, as well as a black dress matched with a sparkling black mask.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Here, the star will be seafood, the fruits of Sicily’s positioning in the Mediterranean Sea, and light, fluffy couscous, an influence of the island’s African and Middle Eastern settlers.—
Lyndsay C. Green,
Freep.com,
15 Oct. 2025
-
The rich, fluffy spread has the aged cheese’s sharp flavor and a creamy mouthfeel.—
Katlyn Moncada,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Or does the sheer scale of the challenge demand the capacity, availability and rock-bottom prices that only established Chinese suppliers can provide?—
Andrew Saunders,
Fortune,
15 Oct. 2025
-
While the bans would have only applied in California, the state’s sheer size gives it significant influence over what gets manufactured for sale across the nation.—
Rachel Frazin,
The Hill,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Other corners of the market are showing concerning signs of froth.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
10 Oct. 2025
-
At the time, the PTC was in full froth against CBS having a William Shatner sitcom titled $#*!—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The narrator’s faith in this flimsy visual evidence is childlike.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The large stout trees with thick gnarling branches of a few decades ago are now flimsy bushes skinnier than hydrangeas that stand under 10 feet tall and need to be propped up with wood and steel trellises.—
Karl Schneider,
IndyStar,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The move by the tech giant set a more transparent bonus system in South Korea’s tech industry.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The goal is to create a reliable, transparent capital-return framework comparable to global mining peers such as Barrick and Newmont, while still allowing upside participation in strong gold-price environments.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
There is only so much fluff and so much that can be talked about.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
That’s a lot of weight for something stuffed with fluff.—
Marisa McMillan,
Outside,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Republican lawmakers and state attorneys general have challenged the basis of those recommendations, arguing that the evidence used to support them is insubstantial.—
Selena Simmons-Duffin,
NPR,
1 Aug. 2025
-
Vague green claims won’t cut it anymore, as evidenced by a 2020 study from the European Commission, which found over half of environmental claims were insubstantial, misleading or unfounded.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
2 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gossamer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gossamer. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share