1
as in illusions
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fictions
something that is the product of the imagination
thus far, the invisible human being has been nothing more than a figment of fantasy writers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of figments
That description is essentially true; as a puppet designer and puppeteer, his job entails figuring out how to materialize figments of the imagination.
—
Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Boone is relentlessly hounded by figments of his guilty memory, by other ghosts, and by his daughter—all of whom emphasize his nefarious role in delaying action to combat climate change.
—Julius Taranto, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026
On the live stream, Nacua questioned whether head injuries are real or just figments of the imagination.
—Nate Atkins, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Are the protagonist’s past lives real, or just figments of his psychosis?
—Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2025
Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Boone is relentlessly hounded by figments of his guilty memory, by other ghosts, and by his daughter—all of whom emphasize his nefarious role in delaying action to combat climate change.
—Julius Taranto, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026
On the live stream, Nacua questioned whether head injuries are real or just figments of the imagination.
—Nate Atkins, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Are the protagonist’s past lives real, or just figments of his psychosis?
—Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for figments
Noun
-
Rustin and Epstein—who recently opened an intimate second space in London for Edel Assanti—were under no illusions.—
George Nelson,
ARTnews.com,
10 June 2026
-
This lifelong Black Catholic bears no illusions about the sins of my church.—
Laura Washington,
Mercury News,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Invasion fictions tended to spring up in response to each new form of invasion panic.—
Ivan Kreilkamp,
JSTOR Daily,
10 June 2026
-
The program also happens to be in line with one of the president’s convenient rhetorical fictions.—
Will Gottsegen,
The Atlantic,
21 May 2026
Noun
-
Big dreams may crash down to earth when daily reality gets involved.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
-
Daeron Targaryen Daeron Targaryen, otherwise known as Daeron the Drunkard, is a bookish and melancholy Targaryen prince known for his prophetic dreams.—
Skyler Trepel,
PEOPLE,
22 June 2026
Noun
-
But, from the moment that he was sworn in, his fantasies and provocations became American foreign policy.—
Ben Taub,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
-
Chronic depression escalated into near-constant fantasies of suicide.—
Brad Ryan,
PEOPLE,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
While established luxury houses still dominate overall sales, Printemps sees growing consumer interest in designers with distinctive creative visions and strong narratives around craftsmanship and production.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
17 June 2026
-
Share wide visions through clear, down-to-earth steps that stick today.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
The three longtime friends, who live in adjoining apartments in South London, are about to release one of the year’s most gorgeous full-length debuts with Role Model Hermit (out July 3), a marvel of moody atmospherics, taut rhythms, and strange tales.—
Simon Vozick-Levinson,
Rolling Stone,
18 June 2026
-
The child of alcoholics, Dreesen often referenced his rough-and-tumble upbringing in his comedy sets, telling tales of little Tommy shining shoes in the taverns of the South Side to feed his siblings.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
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
Noun
-
While some were obvious fabrications, meant to aggrandize the narrator by his association with Tsietsi, most seemed true.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2026
-
Lace and embroidered fabrications give a naked dress a light layer of romance without weighing the look down.—
Kevin Huynh,
InStyle,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Figments.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/figments. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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