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
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
In the show, it is revealed that Slater's character is actually a figment of Elliot's imagination, and is his deceased father.
—Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
So this character is a figment of some cis man's imagination.
—Marley Gotterer, Them., 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for figment
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
In the show, it is revealed that Slater's character is actually a figment of Elliot's imagination, and is his deceased father.
—Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
So this character is a figment of some cis man's imagination.
—Marley Gotterer, Them., 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for figment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for figment
Noun
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Desperate customers were calling multiple brokers at once, creating the illusion of demand spikes that sent truck owners scrambling to raise prices, Biswas said.—
Kelsey Warner,
semafor.com,
8 Apr. 2026
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The converted car, filled with seats and fast-moving images LED screens, doesn’t go anywhere but gives you the illusion of traveling through agave fields.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The film, which is Schlöndorff’s first fiction feature in close to a decade, will debut in the Cannes Premiere section.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
9 Apr. 2026
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To make our lineup, The Times surveyed more than 200 authors, publishers, journalists and general book club enthusiasts to select the best book club reads in 10 categories, including romance, mystery, memoir and literary fiction.—
Brittany Levine Beckman,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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His Jonas – pronounced YO-nash in English – dreams of having a restaurant but is stifled as an ex-con with a fraud conviction.—
Stephen Schaefer,
Boston Herald,
12 Apr. 2026
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While growing fintech company Esusu to be a billion-dollar success, its creators were even willing to sleep in a Denny’s to get their dream off the ground.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Inspired by the Coachella headliner herself, the stop is a Sabrina fantasy land, with sparkly vintage cars, slushie concoctions and much more.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
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The president is tweeting about his genocidal fantasies in Iran.—
Anne Bryson,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The family car is a Mazda, but Zac daydreams of a Bugatti Veyron.—
Frank Langfitt,
NPR,
4 Apr. 2026
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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
Noun
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However, as transistor dimensions approach atomic scales, quantum effects, heat dissipation, and fabrication constraints are making further miniaturization increasingly difficult.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Apr. 2026
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Intel makes the latest Xeon processor on its most advanced 18A technology at its Arizona chip fabrication plant that opened last year.—
Katie Tarasov,
CNBC,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Honesty makes big visions real and doable.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
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With Iran qualifying for the World Cup, Arad Ershad had visions of splurging on flights and tickets to attend one of the team’s upcoming first-round matches in Los Angeles.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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His plays — rife with exploration of deep humanity and emotion — provide not just a framework for hanging many different worlds upon his words, but also the kind of complex characters and twisted tales that actors and filmmakers crave, whether tragedy, romance or comedy.—
Katie Walsh,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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The affable comedian and improv star is known for a self-deprecating brand of humor that leans into storytelling, audience interaction and behind-the-scenes tales from the long-running hit show.—
Travis Pinson,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Figment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/figment. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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