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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Recent Examples of pipe dream
The Professional Women’s Hockey League was but a pipe dream in February 2022 when Kendall Coyne Schofield emphatically declared the urgency needed to address a fractured sport with unrealized potential.
—
John Wawrow, Twin Cities, 4 Feb. 2026
Launched at the Expo 2025 Osaka last year, what seemed like a pipe dream destined for a 2050 debut, is now expected to have a prototype ready decades ahead of schedule—with the first edition to launch in just four years.
—Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Realistically, that’s a pipe dream.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside, 8 Jan. 2026
Aikman, who won three Super Bowls with the franchise under Jones, would seemingly be an ideal candidate for Jones to eschew some or all of his GM duties off on, but there’s little evidence that’s ever been more than a pipe dream for Cowboys fans.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pipe dream
John Wawrow, Twin Cities, 4 Feb. 2026
Launched at the Expo 2025 Osaka last year, what seemed like a pipe dream destined for a 2050 debut, is now expected to have a prototype ready decades ahead of schedule—with the first edition to launch in just four years.
—Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Realistically, that’s a pipe dream.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside, 8 Jan. 2026
Aikman, who won three Super Bowls with the franchise under Jones, would seemingly be an ideal candidate for Jones to eschew some or all of his GM duties off on, but there’s little evidence that’s ever been more than a pipe dream for Cowboys fans.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pipe dream
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pipe dream
Noun
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This will by no means fit into any version of a food pyramid, but my dream dinner involves a bucket of cheese popcorn and a glass of crisp white wine.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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Strong foundations can carry big dreams without unnecessary strain.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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To the delusional, reality is an illusion.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
11 Mar. 2026
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The three women enter a love triangle where desire and illusion collide with their unresolved maternal wounds.—
Ed Meza,
Variety,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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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
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Below, some of the finest, high-quality ruffled bedding around the web for creating the frothy bedscape of your daydreams.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
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These plays are often brilliant, and even lesser variants are fun to watch, because piñata-whacking itself is a naughty thrill, a cathartic fantasy for anyone with a family and/or a secret.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
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Farewell to Seasons is a historical fantasy set in that world, and alongside the graphic novel, there will also be a ‘lost’ rock opera connected to the story, featuring original music written from the perspective of David Williams, one of the main characters.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The association supported Senate Bill 1263, a separate vision that would peel back some rules but still let cities mandate licenses and require property owners to designate a local contact in case trouble arises.—
Mark Dee,
Idaho Statesman,
11 Mar. 2026
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His son Jorge Maduro, a future Hall of Fame catcher at the University of Miami, served as the Sugar Kings’ bat boy while growing up inside his father’s vision for Cuban baseball.—
Tyler Carmona,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pipe dream.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pipe%20dream. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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