as in apparitions
the soul of a dead person thought of especially as appearing to living people
Halloween is supposed to be a time when phantoms return to walk among us
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Recent Examples of phantoms
Such a designation, evidently, would save agents from wasting time chasing phantoms.
—
Adam Ciralsky, Vanity Fair, 19 Mar. 2026
Just in time for Halloween, the sonic phantoms that have long plagued the ladies of The View have seemingly possessed inanimate objects over on the Live With Kelly and Mark set.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2025
Because contemporary phantoms of Richard Mille, Patek Philippe, and Rolex are expertly constructed to entice even the most discerning eye, provenance is crucial.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Science and magic, love, humour and phantoms.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025
Radlmaier‘s cast of characters also includes an older Asian German who offers tours of his personal highlights of the region rather than the top sights featured in guidebooks, a woman urging others to guess the name of her dog, nude hikers, possible ghosts or phantoms, and more.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 6 Aug. 2025
Adam Ciralsky, Vanity Fair, 19 Mar. 2026
Just in time for Halloween, the sonic phantoms that have long plagued the ladies of The View have seemingly possessed inanimate objects over on the Live With Kelly and Mark set.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2025
Because contemporary phantoms of Richard Mille, Patek Philippe, and Rolex are expertly constructed to entice even the most discerning eye, provenance is crucial.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Science and magic, love, humour and phantoms.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025
Radlmaier‘s cast of characters also includes an older Asian German who offers tours of his personal highlights of the region rather than the top sights featured in guidebooks, a woman urging others to guess the name of her dog, nude hikers, possible ghosts or phantoms, and more.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phantoms
Noun
-
But he’s journeyed to Lourdes and Our Lady of Guadalupe, both of which the Vatican has officially recognized as supernatural Marian apparitions.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Acosta’s bright shapes could be seen as apparitions of a sort.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Hollywood and exhibitors alike are arriving in good spirits because people are actually going to theaters.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
12 Apr. 2026
-
All four were reported to be in good health and good spirits.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Always fact check those ghosts.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Apr. 2026
-
His boldest innovation is to invoke not past glories but past disasters, summoning the ghosts of the United States’ catastrophic interventions in Iraq.—
Fintan O’Toole,
The New York Review of Books,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The bright lights at CPKC Stadium can cast shadows inside their bedroom when there is a night game.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Most, like Mbugua’s, unfold mostly in the shadows.—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Phantoms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phantoms. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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