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
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
The days of a potential merger between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour seem to be a pipe dream now, especially as LIV stars like Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed come back to their old roots.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Country is still very much ideologically entangled with MAGA and its pipe dream of a return to the 1950s.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for 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
The days of a potential merger between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour seem to be a pipe dream now, especially as LIV stars like Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed come back to their old roots.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Country is still very much ideologically entangled with MAGA and its pipe dream of a return to the 1950s.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pipe dream
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pipe dream
Noun
-
Hong Kong — For the past three decades, China has been a nation of homeowners — supercharging the world’s second-largest economy and fulfilling the dreams of millions.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
-
The first dream had vanished within two weeks of his arrival.—
Tom Williams,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
The lobby’s circular floor plan gives the illusion of a lily pad floating atop a koi pond.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026
-
Over the course of less than two months, these Islanders would be disarmed by the sun, the machinations of the producers, and the illusion of isolation and being apart from their phones for the first time in their lives.—
Anna Peele,
Vulture,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
Nina, Karen and Caroline started appearing in my daydreams, full of vigor and life lessons.—
Jennifer Acker,
PEOPLE,
8 May 2026
-
Some stories plant deep in your creative brain and come out through songs heard on the radio and random daydreams in the shower.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Keeping track of the other, less consequential games may then only appeal to sports bettors and fantasy football players.—
Bobby Burack OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
-
Projects in development span the genres of romance, drama, horror, action and fantasy.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Mesidor is the part that will allow that vision to materialize.—
Daniel Popper,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
-
For one, the Frenchie vision is just corny and clumsy, and so is the idea of Kimiko harnessing the power of love to defeat the bad guy without succumbing to vengeful rage.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pipe dream.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pipe%20dream. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
