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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 Forever is not just a pipe dream for the high school senior after winning the Jimmy Award. — Madeline Montgomery, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026 When brand new entry-level telescopes start at a few hundred dollars, the idea of getting anything decent for pocket change sounds like a pipe dream. — Damian Peach, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026 Before 1999, the thought of all your favorite video game characters beating the tar out of each other on the same video game console felt like a pipe dream. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026 That number was still a pipe dream weeks later when, as the story goes, Mary Kay borrowed twelve dollars to hightail it to Dallas for a Stanley sales rally. — Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 15 July 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
  • Meanwhile, the Young Bucks will challenge Adam Copeland and Christian Cage for the AEW World Tag Team Championship in a dream match between teams from different generations.
    — Rob Wolkenbrod, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Pop, in making his dream a reality, became a hero and a torchbearer.
    — Taran Dugal, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of dream
Noun
  • This is the illusion that the Rankine of Triage has abandoned.
    — Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The illusion of molten steel was basically water and mineral oil mixed with a little powdered sugar; creative lighting and heaters placed below the cameras—plus a few CGI sparks in the background—did the rest.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of illusion
Noun
  • The next day, Luwi had a similar daydream, but this time the disapproving patriarch was Gajdusek.
    — Rachel Aviv, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
  • And amidst the momentum of reverie, there’s the line ‘Blink at the light and hope to survive,’ because daydreams in a fascist state can be scary too.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 23 June 2026
Definition of daydream
Noun
  • The initial offering will include more than 200 titles across popular genres including romance, billionaire romance, fantasy and family drama, with a wide selection of titles available with Indonesian dubbing and subtitles.
    — Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The catalog spans genres such as fantasy, family drama, romance and billionaire romance, told in episodes running 60-90 seconds.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of fantasy
Noun
  • Roman will also detect exoplanets using the tried-and-true transit method, but scientists expect the new telescope to find a lot more than past space missions have, thanks to its wider vision.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The immigrant entrepreneurs often offered their families and young customers an idealized vision of American life.
    — Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 31 Aug. 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 1 Sep. 2026.

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