as in dream
a conception or image created by the imagination and having no objective reality
opening our own restaurant has long been a pipe dream
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pipe dream
During his time at Colgate, the team earned two NCAA tournament trips via back-to-back Patriot League titles, but the Final Four seemed like a pipe dream to someone at a low major.
—
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
But their coffee shop, once a pipe dream, will soon become a reality.
—Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2026
In other words, sustainability isn’t just a pipe dream here.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 30 Mar. 2026
Years back, a Tentsile tent light enough for unencumbered backpacking or bikepacking seemed little more than a pipe dream.
—New Atlas, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pipe dream
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
But their coffee shop, once a pipe dream, will soon become a reality.
—Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2026
In other words, sustainability isn’t just a pipe dream here.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 30 Mar. 2026
Years back, a Tentsile tent light enough for unencumbered backpacking or bikepacking seemed little more than a pipe dream.
—New Atlas, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pipe dream
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pipe dream
Noun
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Near the end of this complex six-hundred-page book, Yamashita switches to a collective pronoun, suggesting that a common dream has connected her characters.—
Hua Hsu,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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For aspiring writers scrolling through deal announcements on industry sites or social media, those vague labels can fuel both dreams and misconceptions.—
Josh Rivera,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And in the enfacement illusion, people can momentarily experience another face as their own.—
Utkarsh Gupta,
Scientific American,
15 Apr. 2026
-
So there was the illusion of security in the Gulf.—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The family car is a Mazda, but Zac daydreams of a Bugatti Veyron.—
Frank Langfitt,
NPR,
4 Apr. 2026
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More than masturbatory daydreams, Vladimir inspires our heroine to write with abandon, ignoring professional and personal obligations in service to her muse.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Wellington, New Zealand — Sleep on a long-haul flight in economy class has always been a fantasy for many travelers.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
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Sleep on a long-haul flight in economy class has always been a fantasy for many travelers.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In contrast, his teammate on the blueline is starting to see the vision.—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
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Ellison's vision for the future of Paramount Skydance By all accounts, Ellison's vision for the future of his company is clear.—
Hadley Hitson,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pipe dream.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pipe%20dream. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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