variants
also fantasms
1
as in illusions
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 apparitions
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phantasms
Noun
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But then, over the course of several viewings, new recognitions dawned—on the social contract, illusions of class, and the artist’s deft use of color in this gorgeous study of red, white, and blue.—
Laura Brown,
Artforum,
25 Mar. 2026 -
Even the most die-hard anti-American cleric in the Iranian political system did not harbor illusions that Iran could defeat the United States in conventional ways.—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
On top of these apparitions, a human foe, whose motives for committing a crime seem rather nebulous, also exists.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
-
As the 14-year-old child of a poor family in 1858, Saint Bernadette experienced numerous apparitions of a young woman in a cave or grotto, seemingly the Virgin Mary, asking for a chapel to be built on the site.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Deep down, the different approaches flow from contrasting visions of human nature.—
David Brooks,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Disturbing visions and a shocking disappearance forces him to confront dark corners of his past.—
William Earl,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The vice president of the Gardner PTA, Oralia Rodriguez, even brought ice cream to campus in an effort to lift spirits.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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Pernod Ricard has spent recent years moving away from wine and toward spirits, including the December sale of Mumm Napa to Trinchero Family Wine & Spirits.—
Aidin Vaziri,
San Francisco Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Finally, Irene dreams of dancing on a Parisian stage, but her father’s ailing health puts her hopes in jeopardy.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
That’s how ghosts come to haunt a place.—
JD Barker,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
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Of course, ne’er-do-wells saw an opportunity to dress up and commit crimes as ghosts.—
Popular Science Team,
Popular Science,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Less dangerous but more common are fantasies and hallucinations, which Laye believes result from general fatigue.—
Brad Stulberg,
Outside,
26 Mar. 2026
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Mamdani’s housing agenda, so far, is built on a foundation of headlines, slogans and fiscal fantasies.—
Ann Korchak,
New York Daily News,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
What are the shadows doing, coming off the ridges of those canyons?—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Riachi leaned into its shadows, installing panelling and perforated screens in American walnut, a timber chosen for its rich, timeless quality.—
Amy Bradford,
Architectural Digest,
29 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Phantasms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phantasms. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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