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
-
There’s now no mainstream because there are now fewer illusions, both regarding the public and regarding what goes on behind the scenes; the transparency and the resulting scrutiny that extend to the economics and social life of movies extend to the art of cinema as well.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Instead, Angine de Poitrine are more like Meshuggah or Dawn of Midi, establishing a meter and then creating rhythmic illusions using creative bursts of syncopation.—
Christopher R. Weingarten,
Pitchfork,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The fictions of both films are factually contextualized from the start.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Corporations are legal fictions — a game of pretend in which fictional entities are created, registering with the state.—
Kelly G. Richardson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Here’s a story from the 2022 that explains her late development and how dreams come true the hard way.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The president is tweeting about his genocidal fantasies in Iran.—
Anne Bryson,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
If justice means anything any more, a federal judge will easily swipe through Hegseth’s nebulous legal fantasies, and preserve the possibility that someday, the Endangered Species Act might actually help save endangered species in the Gulf.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Honesty makes big visions real and doable.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
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
-
Damann takes guests to the visitor center which has its own fish tales to tell.—
John Lauritsen,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
His plays — rife with explorations 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,
Boston Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The family car is a Mazda, but Zac daydreams of a Bugatti Veyron.—
Frank Langfitt,
NPR,
4 Apr. 2026
-
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
-
But Morganroth’s previous stops in at least four states and numerous publications were also marked by falsehoods and fabrications about her background, The Denver Post found.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
8 Apr. 2026
-
As models have grown more complex, some hallucinate with more persuasive fabrications.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Figments.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/figments. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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