as in pipe dream
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Recent Examples of ignis fatuus
Several sources say ignis fatuus, a spark of swamp gas, is the likely cause of the strange light.
—
Fox News, 3 Mar. 2023
The story also helped explain ignis fatuus, a natural phenomenon that occurs in marshlands and bogs—such as those in Ireland’s countryside—producing flickering lights as gases from decomposing organic matter combust.
—National Geographic, 27 Oct. 2020
Fox News, 3 Mar. 2023
The story also helped explain ignis fatuus, a natural phenomenon that occurs in marshlands and bogs—such as those in Ireland’s countryside—producing flickering lights as gases from decomposing organic matter combust.
—National Geographic, 27 Oct. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ignis fatuus
Noun
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While Manchester United’s stadium development is still a pipe dream, in need of financing and planning permission, their new stadium is a tangible reality already.—
Patrick Boyland,
The Athletic,
21 Mar. 2025
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At this point, a 90-win season looks like a pipe dream.—
Patrick Saunders,
The Denver Post,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
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But critics claim PBMs don’t always find the best deals, and the savings are often a mirage.—
Julia Manchester,
The Hill,
25 Mar. 2025
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Gurriel will have to earn his keep by showing in April’s real games that the exhibitions of March were not a mirage.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The air defense community has pursued this chimera for decades.—
James Stavridis,
The Mercury News,
15 Feb. 2025
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The Asian option looks like a chimera, the Europe option is off the table, and in any case requires a fundamental recalibration of the national idea which is difficult for any country.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
26 Apr. 2016
Noun
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Many of these protagonists endure the tedium and humiliation of involuntary psychiatric hospitalizations, losing days and years to paralyzing inertia, and experiencing terrifying delusions of persecution and betrayal.—
Moira Donegan,
New Yorker,
26 Mar. 2025
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That would be you, the audience, fed a royal jelly concocted of dream, fantasy, myth, popcorn, even delusion.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Julie Andrews sells The Sound of Music with her effervescent performance, and the wooden, awkward bits around her are, now, almost endearing — a kitschy self-own acknowledging the unreality of the whole operation.—
Will Leitch,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2025
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Conor’s passionately absorbing, poignantly observed self-refraction from individuality into idiosyncrasy lends his very reality an air of unreality.—
Richard Brody,
The New Yorker,
7 Feb. 2025
Noun
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An oppressively frequent voiceover tips us off to the roiling thoughts within, which swing between daydreams of an earlier cunnilingus-loving boyfriend and pleas toward Steve to touch her again.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Mar. 2025
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Where Babygirl explores the power dynamics and kink potential of an age difference, and The Idea of You leans on the age gap as a kind of escapist daydream, Bridget Jones offers an Everywoman’s version.—
Allison P. Davis,
Vulture,
6 Feb. 2025
Noun
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On far too many occasions, Watson chose deceit over candor, grasping for the illusion of business success and personal acclaim at any cost.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
28 Mar. 2025
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Yet there are filmmakers who fall prey to the illusion too.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ignis fatuus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ignis%20fatuus. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
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