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 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
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
See All Example Sentences for chimera
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
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
See All Example Sentences for chimera
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chimera
Noun
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The lobby’s circular floor plan gives the illusion of a lily pad floating atop a koi pond.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026
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Over the course of less than two months, these Islanders would be disarmed by the sun, the machinations of the producers, and the illusion of isolation and being apart from their phones for the first time in their lives.—
Anna Peele,
Vulture,
20 May 2026
Noun
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Hong Kong — For the past three decades, China has been a nation of homeowners — supercharging the world’s second-largest economy and fulfilling the dreams of millions.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
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The first dream had vanished within two weeks of his arrival.—
Tom Williams,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
Noun
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Keeping track of the other, less consequential games may then only appeal to sports bettors and fantasy football players.—
Bobby Burack OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
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Projects in development span the genres of romance, drama, horror, action and fantasy.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
14 May 2026
Noun
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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
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Some stories plant deep in your creative brain and come out through songs heard on the radio and random daydreams in the shower.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 May 2026
Noun
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Mesidor is the part that will allow that vision to materialize.—
Daniel Popper,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
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For one, the Frenchie vision is just corny and clumsy, and so is the idea of Kimiko harnessing the power of love to defeat the bad guy without succumbing to vengeful rage.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chimera.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chimera. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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