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Synonyms
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
The idea of repeat physical visits becomes a pipe dream for many.
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David Fear, Rolling Stone, 15 Aug. 2024
Beneath the novel’s profound weirdness is a sly skewering of the precarity of modern employment, where any kind of permanence can seem like a pipe dream and contentment is often just as elusive.
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Chelsea Leu, The Atlantic, 7 Aug. 2024
Seine-Saint-Denis, the northeastern department – roughly equivalent to a county in the US – where the stadium is located, is the poorest in mainland France, and for many of its 1.7 million residents, accessing facilities even close to the caliber of the Stade de France is a pipe dream.
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Emily Blumenthal, CNN, 24 July 2024
In this dark and brooding place, justice is a pipe dream.
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Karen D'souza, The Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2024
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pipe dream.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
from the fantasies brought about by the smoking of opium
First Known Use
1890, in the meaning defined above
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 11 Sep. 2024.
Kids Definition
pipe dream
noun
: an unreal and fantastic idea, wish, or story
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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