phantom

phantom
1 of 2
noun
phan·;tom ;fan-t;m
Synonyms of phantom

Simple Definition
A Simple Definition is available from our Learner's Dictionary to help you understand the meaning faster.
1
a
: something apparent to sense but with no substantial existence : apparition
b
: something elusive or visionary
c
: an object of continual dread or abhorrence
the phantom of disease and want
2
: something existing in appearance only
3
: a representation of something abstract, ideal, or incorporeal
She was a phantom of delight …
—William Wordsworth
phantomlike ;fan-t;m-;l;k  adverb or adjective
phantom

2 of 2
adjective
1
: of the nature of, suggesting, or being a phantom : illusory
2
: fictitious, dummy
phantom voters

Synonyms of phantom
Relevance
Noun

ghost
apparition
spirit
Adjective

imaginary
fictitious
fictional
mythical
fantasied
imagined
imaginal
Examples of phantom in a Sentence
Noun
The book is about the phantoms that are said to haunt the nation's cemeteries.
The crisis is merely a phantom made up by the media.
Adjective
People claim to have seen a phantom ship floating on the lake.
A number of ballots from phantom voters had to be thrown out.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Such a designation, evidently, would save agents from wasting time chasing phantoms.
—Adam Ciralsky, Vanity Fair, 19 Mar. 2026
The Stygiomedusa gigantea, commonly known as the giant phantom jelly, was filmed at 250 meters below the surface.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
The phantom page is usually a collection of additional content suggestions or a pop-up that tries to eke out a few more clicks from each visitor.
—ArsTechnica, 14 Apr. 2026
One of them is the aforementioned passerby in the corridor, known here as the Walking Man (Yamato Kochi), who, far from being just a phantom projection, winds up embarking on his own tragic adventure.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026