as in imaginary
not real and existing only in the imagination
phantasmal fears that have prevented her from living a normal life
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Recent Examples of phantasmal
Beyond that, all apparent structures are merely phantasmal.
—
Big Think, 27 Oct. 2025
Big Think, 27 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phantasmal
Adjective
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If consequences are optional, deterrence is imaginary.—
Darlene Mealy,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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As Siâvash increasingly retreats into imaginary characters, the documentary traces a sibling relationship shaped and strained by displacement, set against a backdrop of escalating tension between Iran and the United States that carries personal consequences for both subjects.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Apex, which primarily consists of its two main characters chasing each other around the fictional Wandarra National Park on location in the real Australian Blue Mountains, is more focused in action than in psychological nuance.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
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Some rappers have begun directly attesting to the fictional nature of their music.—
Maria Sherman,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But this year’s report, published Wednesday, has the Queen City of the East – home of horror author Stephen King and the mythical birthplace of lumberjack Paul Bunyan – standing alone.—
Jen Christensen,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
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What could be more human than to weave a mythic narrative of self and clan around what is remembered, and the slippages of what might have been?—
Horace D. Ballard,
Artforum,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The moment that lingered came later, when the (sadly fictitious) films of William Harbeck brought me out onto the open deck at dusk.—
Jordan Runtagh,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
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In those previous incidents, charges were either not pursued by the Arlington County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, or were dismissed during the criminal proceedings in a handful of cases involving assault, disorderly conduct, drug possession, and possession of a fictitious identification card.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Peter [Merry] likes to use is that, when a caterpillar is becoming a butterfly, new ‘imaginal cells’ emerge.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
7 Aug. 2025
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With one technique, for example—called imaginal exposure—you might be asked to visualize the process of going to the airport, boarding the plane, and experiencing a bad bout of turbulence.—
Angela Haupt,
TIME,
10 May 2024
Adjective
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But his family takes Iván in as his experiences begin to dissolve into the imagined portrait of Celestino.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
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Instead of small neighborhood stores with limited inventory, Marcus and Blank imagined warehouse-sized spaces filled with everything homeowners or contractors might need — from lumber and drywall to appliances and lighting.—
Alexandria Mansfield,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Phantasmal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phantasmal. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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