1
as in illusion
a conception or image created by the imagination and having no objective reality
unable to find any tracks in the snow the next morning, I was forced to conclude that the shadowy figure had been a figment of my imagination
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fiction
something that is the product of the imagination
thus far, the invisible human being has been nothing more than a figment of fantasy writers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of figment
China occupies islands across the South China Sea without even a figment of legal right.
—
David Frum, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
That practice remained with Cronin over the next six months, providing a figment to cling to as Dent failed to re-enact that greatness.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 27 Feb. 2026
Excusing those two flickers of broken hegemony, the WSL’s highest echelon has been an unassailable strongbox, a figment of the rest of the table’s imagination.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Soon, though, her world is turned upside down by an unsettling and persistent stalker — or just a figment of her own fracturing psyche.
—Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for figment
David Frum, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
That practice remained with Cronin over the next six months, providing a figment to cling to as Dent failed to re-enact that greatness.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 27 Feb. 2026
Excusing those two flickers of broken hegemony, the WSL’s highest echelon has been an unassailable strongbox, a figment of the rest of the table’s imagination.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Soon, though, her world is turned upside down by an unsettling and persistent stalker — or just a figment of her own fracturing psyche.
—Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for figment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for figment
Noun
-
Masks are slipping and illusions are fading.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
-
The United States, searching for self-definition but loath to lose its illusions—its innocence—needed all of this as a counterpoint.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
This book has an addictive narrative style that feels more like a fiction thriller than nonfiction.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
-
Apple TV‘s Murderbot blends science-fiction, comedy, human emotion and many more elements, so the music is just as eclectic.—
Fred Topel,
Deadline,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Then there are those fighting and clawing to extend their NFL dream, such as Mason Reiger, who signed as a rookie free agent because his draft stock tanked because of medical evaluation.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
10 May 2026
-
What was once street play and schoolyard competition now carries the weight of a national dream.—
Ricci Shryock,
NPR,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
Similar to 2023-2024, realistic/contemporary and dystopia/sci-fi/fantasy remain the dominant genres banned in the 2024-2025 school year.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
-
My exterior gender and interior one were out of alignment, and every attempt to sync them—with corresponding clothes, a rich fantasy life, and standing up over the toilet bowl to pee, messily—ultimately failed.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Just think of all those vacant Madonnas, structurally perfect compositions, and obedient daydreams of antiquity.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Intel is indeed ramping up capacity quickly, with a new chip fabrication plant now in high-volume production in Chandler, Arizona.—
Katie Tarasov,
CNBC,
8 May 2026
-
By the Second World War, the steel alloys had improved in composition, metal fabrication methods made armor more homogeneous, and the thickness was increased to create much tougher plating.—
David Szondy
May 07,
New Atlas,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Both have stood out for having a long-term strategic vision for football rather than big spending.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
-
Some Democrats revive the promise of single-payer healthcare Some of the sharpest exchanges occurred over single-payer healthcare, a policy vision that Newsom embraced on the campaign trail and abandoned in office when faced with the daunting price tag and political hurdles.—
Ben Paviour
May 6,
Sacbee.com,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
That’s easier to accomplish the further the plot moves away from a diplomatic incident involving several national institutions and toward an occasionally absurd — but absorbing and well-paced — tale of individuals in over their heads.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
8 May 2026
-
San Diego County can once again be a model of fiscal responsibility — not a cautionary tale.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Figment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/figment. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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