pipe dream

noun

Definition of pipe dreamnext
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pipe dream Even a few short years ago, the possibility of another Alabama Shakes album sounded like a pipe dream. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 18 Aug. 2026 When a double sink is nothing short of a pipe dream, the best small bathroom vanities are the only solution to simulating en suite vibes in your powder room. — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 13 Aug. 2026 Arendt then cited Wilhelm Marr’s Sieg des Judentums über das Germanentum (The Victory of Judaism over Teutonism, 1869), thus lining up all the antisemitic pipe dreams that came close to fulfillment. — Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026 Forever is not just a pipe dream for the high school senior after winning the Jimmy Award. — Madeline Montgomery, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pipe dream
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pipe dream
  1. dream
  2. illusion
  3. daydream
  4. fantasy
  5. vision
Noun
  • In a matter of weeks, when the midterm results are tallied and the next campaign begins, Democrats with presidential dreams know the question will be coming.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • In his dreams, Jose Fiscal Belli is still living an all-American life with his all-American family.
    — Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of dream
Noun
  • Pokémon cards, a pricey Ferrari shirt and a touristy museum of illusions.
    — Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Rubin, who is also a children's book author and magician, has spent years working in the world of illusion and performance.
    — Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of illusion
Noun
  • The songs on Purdy also have the tone of journal entries, detailing haggard trips to the grocery store, daydreams about his young daughters’ glamorous adult lives, and observations about the banality of oppression.
    — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Walking through prewar Berlin, taking in its historic architecture, Susanna daydreams of her native New York, an ever-changing city where buildings are torn down and rebuilt in the blink of an eye.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of daydream
Noun
  • Bag designs were more polarized, with oversize silhouettes and revivals of heritage styles juxtaposed to fantasy minaudière designs, sculptural clutches and embellished mini bags displaying brands’ craftsmanship and doubling as objects of art.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Continue reading … LIZ PEEK — Two troubled Senate races could spoil Democrats' blue-wave fantasy.
    — , FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of fantasy
Noun
  • Usher syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that causes vision loss, hearing loss and balance issues, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
    — Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The condition can cause memory, vision, hearing and balance issues.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of vision

Browse Nearby Words

pipe down
pipe dream
pipe dreams
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pipe dream.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pipe%20dream. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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