PHANTASM Synonyms: 88 Similar and Opposite Words

phantasm

noun

ˈfan-ˌta-zəm

variants also fantasm

Definition of phantasm

as in illusion

a conception or image created by the imagination and having no objective reality frightened by the phantasms of his own making

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in apparition

the soul of a dead person thought of especially as appearing to living people believed that she'd seen the phantasm of her father on the anniversary of his death

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 phantasm No one had meant more to Miami during the past three years, devoting themselves to painstakingly lifting a program plump with the phantasm of a reign long past. — Noah White, Miami Herald, 20 Jan. 2026 In times of increasing cynicism and apathy in the zeitgeist, this phantasm extravaganza — at once humorously deadpan in its playful tableaus and poignantly sincere at its emotional core — feels like a breath of fresh air. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 21 Oct. 2025 But is the gender phantasm as crucial to the global far right as Butler claims? — Katha Pollitt, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2024 Likewise, Poe’s devilish ambiguity, his production of phantasms both real and imagined, undergirds James’s own ventures into the genre. — Phillip MacIak, The New Republic, 11 Oct. 2023 See All Example Sentences for phantasm

Recent Examples of Synonyms for phantasm

Noun

Next, there's the identity lag, where an outdated self-concept drives continued overexertion; and the illusion of recoverability, where believing resources can always fix health damage later down the road.

— Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Disappointments like you thrive on pain, on fear, and on the illusion of power.

— Kalia Richardson, USA Today, 29 July 2026

Definition of illusion

Noun

That is, until miraculous apparitions turn it into a place to be.

— Marta Balaga, Variety, 17 July 2026
The music starts to shift beginning with the third episode, when Lestat becomes overwhelmed by the apparition of his abusive maker and other ghosts, including Claudia, whose killing he’d been forced to witness firsthand.

— Hannah Giorgis Yohannes, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026

Definition of apparition

Noun

Her fever dreams were of floating untethered in an infinite black space, of being trapped in a blinding spotlight on an empty stage, not knowing how or where to move.

— Rachel Yoder, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2026
After shuttering some five decades later, the land was largely vacant until the former mayor of Seattle, Paul Schell, and his wife, Pam, built their dream hotel from the ground up.

— Katie Nanton, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of dream

Noun

In that span, Egbuka was WR3 (overall and in fantasy points per game) with 25 receptions for 445 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 38 targets.

— Jake Ciely, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Dynasty fantasy football owners should eye three running backs poised for significant value increases in 2026.

— Steve Bradshaw, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of fantasy

Noun

There are more than 400 original contemporary artworks throughout Ibiza Gran Hotel, with many created by Mediterranean artists whose work reflects the culture and spirit of the region.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 July 2026
The spirit of this new category is to shine a dedicated spotlight on these important artists.

— Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 30 July 2026

Definition of spirit

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