as in illusion
a conception or image created by the imagination and having no objective reality
a monster in the closet would not have been the first chimera that the boy had seen in his mind's eye
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Recent Examples of chimera
The standard choices presented to us—reason versus superstition, progress versus barbarism, past versus future, space versus Earth, growth versus stasis—were always chimeras.
—
Paul Kingsnorth, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Trump’s yearning after a Nobel Peace Prize is no secret—Israel, Pakistan, and Cambodia have nominated him so far—and Lee may use that chimera to keep Trump onside.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
The chimera appear to float toward a star, as if drawn into -- or perhaps emerging from -- another plane of existence.
—Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Money savvy players might choose to horde their wealth and splurge on a powerful gun for the final boss round, in which the team must work together to bring down the likes of beastly chimeras that dig underground and towering mutants who perform whirlwind moves.
—Griff Griffin, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for chimera
Paul Kingsnorth, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Trump’s yearning after a Nobel Peace Prize is no secret—Israel, Pakistan, and Cambodia have nominated him so far—and Lee may use that chimera to keep Trump onside.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
The chimera appear to float toward a star, as if drawn into -- or perhaps emerging from -- another plane of existence.
—Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Money savvy players might choose to horde their wealth and splurge on a powerful gun for the final boss round, in which the team must work together to bring down the likes of beastly chimeras that dig underground and towering mutants who perform whirlwind moves.
—Griff Griffin, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for chimera
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chimera
Noun
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But then, over the course of several viewings, new recognitions dawned—on the social contract, illusions of class, and the artist’s deft use of color in this gorgeous study of red, white, and blue.—
Laura Brown,
Artforum,
25 Mar. 2026
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One abruptly gains social permission to behave just as mercifully—to go without the same illusion—to oneself.—
Caleb Crain,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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For travelers with an adventurous spirit, Costa Rica’s South Pacific is a dream come true.—
Meghan Palmer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Mar. 2026
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But what was once a distant dream is now coming true for more and more authors, all up and down the ladder of literary fame and prestige.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Less dangerous but more common are fantasies and hallucinations, which Laye believes result from general fatigue.—
Brad Stulberg,
Outside,
26 Mar. 2026
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This leaves room for creative speculation that can stretch into fantasy.—
Andrew Coletti,
Popular Science,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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More than masturbatory daydreams, Vladimir inspires our heroine to write with abandon, ignoring professional and personal obligations in service to her muse.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
5 Mar. 2026
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Below, some of the finest, high-quality ruffled bedding around the web for creating the frothy bedscape of your daydreams.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Other Democratic strategists too say the state party is pitching a longer-term vision to the national donors getting calls from Florida Democrats today in hopes of boosting their coffers after Tuesday’s over performance.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
25 Mar. 2026
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Trefethen led a similar portfolio at the philanthropic organization, Coefficient Giving, which is a major funder of the effective altruism community that has sometimes clashed with OpenAI’s vision for artificial intelligence.—
Thalia Beaty,
Fortune,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chimera.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chimera. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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