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
Note: this article has been updated to add details on Koller’s role on the 2021 Chimeras and to clarify/augment a couple of quotes.
—
Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 25 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
Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 25 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
Noun
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The latest tit-for-tat strikes threaten to completely shatter any lingering illusion of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran that supposedly began on April 8.—
Jeremy Hsu,
ArsTechnica,
10 June 2026
-
The former offers the illusion of control while creating new vulnerabilities.—
Leonard Lim,
Fortune,
10 June 2026
Noun
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Boston’s Freedom Trail is essential part of any trip in this city that’s a walker's dream—as long as the weather holds.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
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My dream was always that people are literally catching their breath from laughing.—
Lauren Michele Jackson,
New Yorker,
7 June 2026
Noun
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From a fantasy perspective, Ronaldo’s appeal is straightforward.—
Abdul Rehman,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
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Stepping out in the French capital after dark, the singer and actor embraced a softer side of glamour, trading her signature slinkier silhouettes for a dreamlike dress that embodied couture fantasy and modern-day fairytale all at once.—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
11 June 2026
Noun
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The heady scent—a mix of white florals, amber, and sandalwood—induces daydreams of tanning on a white-sand beach.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
27 May 2026
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Nina, Karen and Caroline started appearing in my daydreams, full of vigor and life lessons.—
Jennifer Acker,
PEOPLE,
8 May 2026
Noun
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The job for the rest of us is to defend that vision—and advance it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
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With a new wave of extraordinary properties, transformative experiences, and a clear vision rooted in sustainability and authenticity, the country is emerging as one of the Caribbean’s most compelling destinations for the discerning traveler.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chimera.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chimera. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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