ignis fatuus

noun

Definition of ignis fatuusnext
as in pipe dream

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ignis fatuus Several sources say ignis fatuus, a spark of swamp gas, is the likely cause of the strange light. — Fox News, 3 Mar. 2023 The story also helped explain ignis fatuus, a natural phenomenon that occurs in marshlands and bogs—such as those in Ireland’s countryside—producing flickering lights as gases from decomposing organic matter combust. — National Geographic, 27 Oct. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ignis fatuus
  1. pipe dream
  2. mirage
  3. chimera
  4. will-o'-the-wisp
  5. delusion
  6. unreality
  7. daydream
Noun
  • United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain's pitch for a four-day workweek for assembly workers was brushed aside as a pipe dream.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 13 July 2026
  • The Information posited, while noting that since 2020, Meta’s Reality Lab division has lost $87 billion chasing metaverse pipe dreams.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 10 July 2026
Definition of pipe dream
Noun
  • The landscape seems to stretch indefinitely, the horizon appearing like a cartoon mirage at all times.
    — Lara Johnson-Wheeler, Vogue, 3 July 2026
  • Cynics think that Manchesterism is a mirage and that Burnham is unduly hogging the credit for the regeneration of the city’s downtown.
    — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 19 June 2026
Definition of mirage
Noun
  • Additional cast members include Lorenzo James Henrie (Fear the Walking Dead), Lorenzo Richelmy (Netflix's Marco Polo), Vincenzo Nemolato (La chimera), and Rupert Everett (My Best Friend's Wedding).
    — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 26 May 2026
  • Workers will continue with smaller tasks around the facade, including the installation of chimeras that sit on the roofline, but the heavy lifting has been completed, Walter said.
    — Dylan Lovan, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Definition of chimera
Noun
  • As the guitar-strumming will-o'-the-wisp Maria von Trapp, Julie Andrews taught us a few of her favorite things.
    — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
Definition of will-o'-the-wisp
Noun
  • Arabella feeds this delusion by picking up on the vibe, reading the grown-up’s nametag, and insisting that her name is Holly too.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 17 July 2026
  • That volatility mirrors the album’s overall mood and thematic POV; TOY COLLAGES feels like one big, bad trip, Dean careening through the existential delusions of those around them before turning toward their own.
    — Cassidy Sollazzo, Pitchfork, 13 July 2026
Definition of delusion
Noun
  • Christian Science has taught me to base my prayers on the solid spiritual foundation of Jesus’ teachings – namely, the allness and perfection of God and the nothingness or unreality of anything unlike God, good.
    — André Kisonga, Christian Science Monitor, 30 June 2026
  • The passion for sports is a matter of its unrealities—its past is more myth than history.
    — Austin Elias-de Jesus, New Yorker, 3 June 2026
Definition of unreality
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
Definition of daydream

Browse Nearby Words

ignes fatui
ignis fatuus
ignitable
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Cite this Entry

“Ignis fatuus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ignis%20fatuus. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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