as in pipe dream
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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
Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for will-o'-the-wisp
Noun
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The decades-long quest to build home robots that are both helpful and lifelike — spurred on by fictional machines like the Jetsons’ humanoid maid Rosie —- is still mostly a pipe dream.—
Matt O’Brien,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
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The rapid normalization of working from home has reconfigured how and where talent operates, offering flexibility that was once a pipe dream.—
Vikram Joshi,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
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After miles upon miles of desolate sand and stones, the city materializes from the Mojave Desert almost like a mirage, with gas stations, restaurants, and hotels galore.—
Cu Fleshman,
Travel + Leisure,
23 May 2026
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Critics on the Croisette are starting to resemble that classic comic-strip panel in which an explorer crawls desperately across the sand toward an oasis that’s only a mirage.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2026
Noun
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Unveiling ignis fatuus: Microlightning between microbubbles.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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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
Noun
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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
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Nina, Karen and Caroline started appearing in my daydreams, full of vigor and life lessons.—
Jennifer Acker,
PEOPLE,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Will-o'-the-wisp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/will-o%27-the-wisp. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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