as in apparition
the soul of a dead person thought of especially as appearing to living people
since no one lived in the attic, the landlord suggested that the new tenant might have seen the materialization of a woman once murdered there
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Recent Examples of materialization
Who knows if, in this upside-down world that currently weighs on her, the june bug can see the nearby corpse of another beetle, accidentally disemboweled by the home’s owner hours before, the white fat peeking out from her rear end like the materialization of her dying breath.
—
María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
Historical precedent suggests 18-24 months between credibility-damaging foreign policy moments and electoral materialization.
—Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Not rarely during an exorcism, some faithful, especially if victims of curses, gag, sometimes followed by the expulsion of gastrointestinal material and, in some cases, even the materialization of objects among the most varied (nails, glass, razor blades, braids of hair, etc.).
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
The high-top comes in a neutral White Sand hue, while dimensionality is added through a suede and canvas materialization.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 2 Apr. 2025
Not meant to be taken literally, the twist after a shocking act violence reads like the materialization of Ali’s desire to be a bolder, more stereotypically masculine iteration of himself.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 25 Jan. 2025
New materializations of pure desire, birthing all creatures, as hungry as new life.
—Ida Momennejad, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2024
María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
Historical precedent suggests 18-24 months between credibility-damaging foreign policy moments and electoral materialization.
—Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Not rarely during an exorcism, some faithful, especially if victims of curses, gag, sometimes followed by the expulsion of gastrointestinal material and, in some cases, even the materialization of objects among the most varied (nails, glass, razor blades, braids of hair, etc.).
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
The high-top comes in a neutral White Sand hue, while dimensionality is added through a suede and canvas materialization.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 2 Apr. 2025
Not meant to be taken literally, the twist after a shocking act violence reads like the materialization of Ali’s desire to be a bolder, more stereotypically masculine iteration of himself.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 25 Jan. 2025
New materializations of pure desire, birthing all creatures, as hungry as new life.
—Ida Momennejad, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for materialization
Noun
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The peak of Mercury's apparition (for latitude 40 degrees north) and its greatest elongation from the sun don't occur until the middle of June.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
2 May 2026
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The museum site has been a paranormal hotbed for decades, with sightings of apparitions, security camera footage capturing items flying off shelves, as well as experiences from staff members and visitors.—
Gregory Harutunian,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Scientists don’t know much about ghost pipefishes in general, Short says, and have mostly operated off observations from divers.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
15 May 2026
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After nearly 20 years of searching, researchers have officially documented the elusive hairy ghost pipefish, subsequently naming the new species after a muppet that's just as shaggy.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Noun
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Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen were outstanding, and Sam Merrill hit huge corner 3s in the first half to break Detroit’s spirit early.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
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Activist spirits might dismiss this emphasis on the purely sonic as a strategy of avoidance, although the likes of Feizabadi and Kourliandski can’t be accused of sitting idly by.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Materialization.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/materialization. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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