will-o'-the-wisp

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 will-o'-the-wisp As the guitar-strumming will-o'-the-wisp Maria von Trapp, Julie Andrews taught us a few of her favorite things. Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for will-o'-the-wisp
Noun
  • But then there’s a game like Sunday’s against the Saints, where the 49ers provided a clear, undeniable reminder that their unique philosophy isn’t a pipe dream, but rather a fully-functioning, if slightly-insane reality.
    Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Passive income that scales is a practical strategy, not a pipe dream.
    Justin Donald, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • But in the middle of the sand dunes and rocks, how were these people supposed to tell oasis from mirage?
    Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Tucked away in the Arizona desert like a mirage with a liquor license is The Desert Bar, also known as the Nellie E Saloon.
    Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Several sources say ignis fatuus, a spark of swamp gas, is the likely cause of the strange light.
    Fox News, Fox News, 3 Mar. 2023
  • The story also helped explain ignis fatuus, a natural phenomenon that occurs in marshlands and bogs—such as those in Ireland’s countryside—producing flickering lights as gases from decomposing organic matter combust.
    National Geographic, National Geographic, 27 Oct. 2020
Noun
  • The series can feel like a collective daydream.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Drawing fact and daydream together, Kelsey inserts herself into Loy’s story, acting like a bystander during interactions between Loy and Marcel Duchamp or Gertrude Stein.
    Air Mail, Air Mail, 6 Sep. 2025

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“Will-o'-the-wisp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/will-o%27-the-wisp. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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