pipe dream

noun

: an illusory or fantastic plan, hope, or story

Examples of pipe dream in a Sentence

His plan for starting his own business was just a pipe dream. opening our own restaurant has long been a pipe dream
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Part plan, part pipe dream, Lakers star LeBron James and oldest son Bronny became the first father and son to share an NBA court together — a milestone celebrating the elder James’ longevity and the younger James’ resilience. Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2024 Evolving the critical network pipes that have been effectively delivering the cellular traffic at the heart of the mobile revolution into a new source of revenue for both carriers and equipment makers has been—pardon the pun—a pipe dream for some time. Bob O'Donnell, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024 The self-driving car is simultaneously a pipe dream and sort of, kind of the reality of many Americans. Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2024 The notion of a championship seems very far away, a pipe dream. Mirjam Swanson, Orange County Register, 14 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for pipe dream 

Word History

Etymology

from the fantasies brought about by the smoking of opium

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pipe dream was in 1890

Dictionary Entries Near pipe dream

Cite this Entry

“Pipe dream.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pipe%20dream. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

pipe dream

noun
: an unreal and fantastic idea, wish, or story
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!