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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
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
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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 22 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
pipe dream
noun
: an unreal and fantastic idea, wish, or story
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