chimera

noun

kī-ˈmir-ə How to pronounce chimera (audio)
Definition of chimeranext
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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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 chimera Rather than a somewhat normal for Hollywood bakeoff, Paramount plans to kind of smush the two scripts together into one IP chimera. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026 Look behind that curtain and see that the great and powerful Oz is a chimera. — Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026 The Animal Legal Defense Fund, an animal advocacy organization, argued that if such chimeras gained humanlike awareness, they should be treated as human research subjects. — Monika Piotrowska, The Conversation, 8 Dec. 2025 The chimera of a two-state solution still has widespread backing within Washington’s traditional foreign policy establishment. — Ray Takeyh, Foreign Affairs, 4 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for chimera
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chimera
  1. illusion
  2. dream
  3. fantasy
  4. daydream
  5. vision
Noun
  • Published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior, 95 people—Millennial and Gen Z men and women, all of whom had a history of using Instagram for an average of eight years—underwent a virtual reality experience called body illusions.
    — Nicole Karlis, Allure, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The irony, of course, is that this very haphazardness is orchestrated by Dante, who is putting all the references together with intention — the intention of creating the illusion of no intention, of chaos.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of illusion
Noun
  • Fairview’s board thought hard before committing to such a costly venture, but had a dream, said Edie Kalin, president of the Odd Fellows Home of CT.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The trio’s minimalist approach to electronic pop music — which draws from dream pop, electro-rock and other styles — has aged impeccably over the years.
    — Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of dream
Noun
  • This is the same thing, only moms are living their I-wish-when-I-was-in-college fantasies through their daughters.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Rum has always been good at fantasy, conjuring sunshine in a bad bar, smuggling a little heat in the cold, and making the most sensible drinker briefly vulnerable to the pull of a paper umbrella.
    — Lela London, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of fantasy
Noun
  • And amidst the momentum of reverie, there’s the line ‘Blink at the light and hope to survive,’ because daydreams in a fascist state can be scary too.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 23 June 2026
  • One-touch passing, feinting and ripping hard shots into a tattered net, each is super-charged by vivid daydreams of glory on the international stage.
    — Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 22 June 2026
Definition of daydream
Noun
  • For families While Hôtel Royal’s opulence certainly doesn’t lean into the traditional vision of a family-friendly hotel, their thoughtful amenities sure do.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The Skoll Foundation's vision is to live in a sustainable world of peace and prosperity for all.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of vision

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chime in
chimera
chimeras
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Cite this Entry

“Chimera.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chimera. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on chimera

Nglish: Translation of chimera for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about chimera

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