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
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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
-
Pay attention to what feels heavy or emotionally one-sided right now, because this transit isn’t here to keep up with illusions.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
27 May 2026
-
There is that moment where the illusions crumble, where the masks fall away and what follows is disappointment.—
Andrea Flores,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
The program also happens to be in line with one of the president’s convenient rhetorical fictions.—
Will Gottsegen,
The Atlantic,
21 May 2026
-
The curiosity, sensitivity, and imagination of children will always demand new and ambitious fictions.—
Mac Barnett,
Longreads,
5 May 2026
Noun
-
Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
1 June 2026
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Samuel's mother, Nishae Samuel, previously described her son as cheerful and outgoing, with dreams of starting his own clothing line.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Frustrated with her imperfect husband, a tipsy Marge stirs up a trilogy of fantasies of a different Homer.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
28 May 2026
-
These hyperbolic fantasies of socialist surrealism are often exhilarating, but Riley’s wild spectrum of images and ideas doesn’t fit readily into a clear critique.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
The subtitle for the game is Beyond Dreams and deals with a protagonist (shown above) who is plagued by strange visions in his sleep, with what looks like a motley bunch of companions.—
Ollie Barder,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
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Janet Nagudi Janet is a Ugandan British filmmaker, writer and artist whose work imagines bold, Afrofuturistic visions for the Black Diaspora and Pan-African community.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
Among the images are some depicting Merlin the magician shape-shifting into different forms and some of the tales of King Arthur and his knights.—
Lianne Kolirin,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
-
The Simpsons struggle to find the light through two dark tales of the curious and bizarre in this Disney+ exclusive.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
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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One potential way of combating such AI fabrications is with AI.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
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The report also considers which shades best complement the drapey, lightweight fabrications gaining traction in the market.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Figments.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/figments. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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