variants
also fantasm
1
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
2
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
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Recent Examples of phantasm
As a result, Putin has opted for endurance: outlasting Western support for Ukraine by exploiting transatlantic fatigue and pairing threats of escalation with the phantasm of a peace that is always just around the corner.
—
Veronica Anghel, Foreign Affairs, 16 Sep. 2025
In spite of its phonetics, apparently the term is not Yiddish, but a neologism declared by a French writer of comedic phantasms to be German and intended to designate an absurd, unfathomable object that can serve all kinds of purposes.
—Benjamin H. D. Buchloh, Artforum, 1 June 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
Veronica Anghel, Foreign Affairs, 16 Sep. 2025
In spite of its phonetics, apparently the term is not Yiddish, but a neologism declared by a French writer of comedic phantasms to be German and intended to designate an absurd, unfathomable object that can serve all kinds of purposes.
—Benjamin H. D. Buchloh, Artforum, 1 June 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
-
That's why rich girl hair colors are a calling card for those who favor an upscale aesthetic, or at least a beauty look that creates the illusion of luxury.—
Calin Van Paris,
InStyle,
17 June 2026
-
Over the last 8 months, Schoening has sifted through hundreds of pages of campaign finance reports and says Marx has created the illusion of being the frontrunner.—
Shaun Boyd,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
Reports of strange sounds, apparitions, and unexplained encounters continue to attract visitors.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
15 June 2026
-
Why then, when discussing body image after weight changes, is our culture reaching for the language of vexing apparitions and death?—
Virgie Tovar,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
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
-
An avant-garde sightseeing bus turns Hollywood into a stage, drawing locals for a mash-up of state history, gothic storytelling and public-intellectual riffing on the broken California dream.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 June 2026
Noun
-
There are even whispers of his ghost still haunting the area.—
Olivia Young,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
-
Co-stars include Aaron Paul and Bryce Dallas Howard in the story of two fraudulent paranormal investigators who are forced to face real ghosts and the lies underpinning their business.—
Pat Saperstein,
Variety,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
For those who prefer fiction to nonfiction, mysteries edge out science fiction and fantasy as the most popular genre overall, and they are favored by both women and readers who read the most books per year (though men are more likely to pick up sci-fi and fantasy).—
Fred Backus,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
-
Clarke played fantasy football for years and casually bet on offshore sportsbooks.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
Thank you for a plethora of news on June 17 that didn’t crush our spirits.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
-
The appearance represented one of the highest-profile bookings in the festival’s history and fulfilled organizers’ goal of bringing an artist whose work aligned with the spirit of Juneteenth.—
J.M. Banks
June 21,
Kansas City Star,
21 June 2026
Noun
-
The one that really makes Ivanka and Jared daydream is located off shore, across the Bay of Vlorë, between the Adriatic Sea and the Ionian Sea, in the Strait of Otranto that separates Albania from Italy.—
Marzio G. Mian,
Vanity Fair,
16 June 2026
-
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
Noun
-
That’s the £312 million phantom.—
Maman Ibrahim,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
Such a designation, evidently, would save agents from wasting time chasing phantoms.—
Adam Ciralsky,
Vanity Fair,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Phantasm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phantasm. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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