PHANTOM Synonyms: 124 Similar and Opposite Words

phantom 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of phantom

as in imaginary

not real and existing only in the imagination the company claimed that the only hazards involving its product were the phantom dangers created by consumer groups

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

phantom

2 of 2

noun

ˈfan-təm

as in ghost

the soul of a dead person thought of especially as appearing to living people Halloween is supposed to be a time when phantoms return to walk among us

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 phantom

Adjective

As Zai’s doubts about the wedding fester, scratches begin to appear on her legs, apparently the work of the phantom bride, while the menacing of this spirit produces blemishes on her skin. — Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2026 In Minnesota, autism therapy spending skyrocketed by 50,000% in six years, driven in large part by fraudulent entities now facing federal indictments for tens of millions in phantom billing. — Richard Popiel, Boston Herald, 30 Aug. 2026

Noun

On the 1994 comeback album Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins, Sparks imagined Liberace, who died in 1987, making his own comeback in the afterlife, adored again as a phantom haunting the Earth. — Al Shipley, SPIN, 31 July 2026 Left behind are her great-grandmother’s haunting journals detailing the story of her own phantom, and subsequently, her brutal murder. — Jennifer Maas, Variety, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for phantom

Recent Examples of Synonyms for phantom

Adjective

This comes after the league rescinded fines levied against 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk and Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson for pretending to chug an imaginary drink.

— Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
Still, her father’s dinner does not erase his refusal to recognize her gender; his refusal does not make the dinner or hospital bill imaginary.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of imaginary

Noun

From glittering ghosts, ghastly goblins and wicked witches to wily warlocks, fashion can inspire any Halloween transformation.

— Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 18 Oct. 2026
There were earlier versions of this story that were openly mocking of Kip, versions that threw Leo under the bus for being too sly; versions that were too overtly political; versions with ghosts that didn’t need to be there, and so on.

— Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of ghost

Adjective

The series will be set in a fictitious Barneys in Beverly Hills, not New York, and the real founding family of the retailer, the Pressman family, has no involvement, the spokesperson said.

— Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
Dempsey appeared in Disney’s fantasy romance Enchanted (2007) as Robert Philip, a New York divorce lawyer whose orderly life is disrupted by the arrival of a fairy-tale princess (played by Amy Adams) from the fictitious land of Andalasia.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of fictitious

Noun

One is Eye Witness (1987), a wintry landscape of two figures who seem to look away from an apparition of sorts; a skyscraper in the distance bears a resemblance to the Empire State Building.

— Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
For evening observers, this apparition has been more frustrating than triumphant, with Venus lingering low in the glow of twilight instead of climbing into a commanding position.

— Joe Rao, Space.com, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of apparition

Adjective

Gascón will play Manuela, a teacher in an elite school, and Ituño the the role of Evita, the personal secretary to the prime minister of the series’ fictional country.

— Annika Pham, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
The series takes place during the fictional two-term Democratic administration of President Josiah Bartlet, played by Martin Sheen.

— Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of fictional

Noun

Shoes also embraced a more playful and expressive spirit, with jewels, bows, flowers, bold prints and vibrant colors.

— Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Spending time together brings out their humor and fighting spirit, alongside emotional stories and traditions passed down through generations.

— Leo Barraclough, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of spirit

Adjective

Waller is one of the NFL’s few mythical figures — one whose story precedes his stats, whose name supersedes his acclaim.

— Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2026
With the season’s final two episodes not provided to critics, there’s no way to say yet whether The Lowdown achieves that mythical outcome of all mystery seasons, the Finale That Pulls It All Together.

— Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of mythical

Adjective

The second scenario in the speculative design research is built around an imagined service called Paren’t, which proposes to preserve a parent’s AI-powered postmortem presence for their child.

— Lissa Soep, Vox, 17 Oct. 2026
Drawn to the tactile and familiar qualities of paper, Teo uses playful forms and visual metaphors to transform everyday subjects and construct whimsical, imagined worlds.

— New York Times Games, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of imagined

Browse Nearby Words

phantasms

phantom

phantoms

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Style

“Phantom.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phantom. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of phantom

adjective

noun

Example Sentences

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