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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Throughout this franchise’s existence, having a capable center on every line has been a pipe dream.
—
Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Twenty years ago, during my first year as a geoscience undergraduate, a lecturer told me that predicting when and where the next major eruption would take place was a pipe dream — the implication being that volcanoes are far too idiosyncratic and mercurial to have much in common with one another.
—Quanta Magazine, 8 May 2026
Going higher — into the complex realms of trisqueezing and quadsqueezing — has long been dismissed as an experimental pipe dream.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 1 May 2026
Most people would consider that to be a pipe dream, but Poulakidas didn’t.
—Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pipe dream
Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Twenty years ago, during my first year as a geoscience undergraduate, a lecturer told me that predicting when and where the next major eruption would take place was a pipe dream — the implication being that volcanoes are far too idiosyncratic and mercurial to have much in common with one another.
—Quanta Magazine, 8 May 2026
Going higher — into the complex realms of trisqueezing and quadsqueezing — has long been dismissed as an experimental pipe dream.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 1 May 2026
Most people would consider that to be a pipe dream, but Poulakidas didn’t.
—Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pipe dream
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pipe dream
Noun
-
Boston’s Freedom Trail is essential part of any trip in this city that’s a walker's dream—as long as the weather holds.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
My dream was always that people are literally catching their breath from laughing.—
Lauren Michele Jackson,
New Yorker,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
The latest tit-for-tat strikes threaten to completely shatter any lingering illusion of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran that supposedly began on April 8.—
Jeremy Hsu,
ArsTechnica,
10 June 2026
-
The former offers the illusion of control while creating new vulnerabilities.—
Leonard Lim,
Fortune,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
The heady scent—a mix of white florals, amber, and sandalwood—induces daydreams of tanning on a white-sand beach.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
27 May 2026
-
Nina, Karen and Caroline started appearing in my daydreams, full of vigor and life lessons.—
Jennifer Acker,
PEOPLE,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Founded in 1997 and now among Asia‘s largest showcases for horror, fantasy and thriller cinema, BIFAN runs July 2-12 in Bucheon, just west of Seoul.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2026
-
Two oversized Adirondack chairs face a campy performance-art film that traces a path from Caribbean sugar plantations and rum production to the modern fantasy of escape marketed by Margaritaville.—
Michelle F. Solomon,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
The job for the rest of us is to defend that vision—and advance it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
With a new wave of extraordinary properties, transformative experiences, and a clear vision rooted in sustainability and authenticity, the country is emerging as one of the Caribbean’s most compelling destinations for the discerning traveler.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pipe dream.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pipe%20dream. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
