phantom
1 of 2noun
phan·tom ˈfan-təm 
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
William Wordsworth phantomlike
ˈfan-təm-ˌlīk
adverb or adjective phantom
2 of 2adjective
1
: of the nature of, suggesting, or being a phantom : illusory
2
: fictitious, dummy
phantom voters
Synonyms
Noun
- apparition
- bogey
- bogie
- bogy
- familiar spirit
- ghost
- hant [dialect]
- haunt [chiefly dialect]
- materialization
- phantasm
- fantasm
- poltergeist
- shade
- shadow
- specter
- spectre
- spirit
- spook
- sprite
- vision
- visitant
- wraith
Adjective
- chimerical
- chimeric
- fabulous
- fanciful
- fantasied
- fantastic
- fantastical
- fictional
- fictitious
- ideal
- imaginal
- imaginary
- imagined
- invented
- made-up
- make-believe
- mythical
- mythic
- notional
- phantasmal
- phantasmic
- pretend
- unreal
- visionary
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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 CBS News, 7 Sep. 2022 Thus, it has become known as a phantom within the astronomy community. Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 30 Aug. 2022 This one involved a Utah vacation, a phantom cowboy, and the death of Bob Saget. James Sullivan, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Aug. 2022 Some are the phantom smells of a sandwich or apple eaten long before landing, as the dogs can detect residual odors from food no longer present in a traveler’s bag. New York Times, 23 July 2022 Some are the phantom smells of a sandwich or apple eaten long before landing, as the dogs can detect residual odors from food no longer present in a traveler’s bag. Linda Qiu, BostonGlobe.com, 23 July 2022 This year, The Home Depot decided to give Skelly a few friends, those being a 15-foot towering phantom, 12-foot hovering witch (which is already sold out!), 9.5-foot werewolf, and 12-foot inferno pumpkin skeleton. Hannah Jones, Country Living, 15 July 2022 In conjuring the phantom of Islamofascism after 9/11, Hitchens made his accommodation with neoliberal imperialism. Christian Lorentzen, Harper’s Magazine , 20 July 2022 The data — covering a period from Jan. 1, 2021, to Jan. 16, 2022 — show dozens of safety complaints about FSD, including many reports of phantom braking, in which a car’s automatic emergency braking system slams on the brakes for no apparent reason. Russ Mitchellstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2022 Tim Craig And Lori Rozsa, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Sep. 2022 Hubbard now battles sharp phantom pains and a loss of memory and cognizant skills. Lori Rozsa, Washington Post, 4 Sep. 2022 The gang heads to investigate reports of phantom screams at Thornhaven Manor; Zak, Nick and Aaron visit Kentucky in search of Civil War ghosts. Olivia Mccormack, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2022 There have been one-on-one drills at the Eagles' practice facility where Jurgens has kept Davis from getting to the phantom quarterback. Martin Frank, USA TODAY, 11 Aug. 2022 What won't be found is a red wagon full of phantom ballots. Neal Rubin, Detroit Free Press, 4 Aug. 2022 The reported phantom volume represents 80% of their daily trading volume. Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 3 Aug. 2022 Most of the reports are slope, but a few phantom users as well. Taylor Locke, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2022 Based on Castleman’s forensic look at EminiFX, the sophistication of the platform and its production of what appear to be phantom returns is astounding. Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 22 July 2022 See More
Noun
The National Park Service says the high temperature at the phantom Ranch on Sunday was 115 degrees. CBS News, 7 Sep. 2022 Thus, it has become known as a phantom within the astronomy community. Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 30 Aug. 2022 This one involved a Utah vacation, a phantom cowboy, and the death of Bob Saget. James Sullivan, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Aug. 2022 Some are the phantom smells of a sandwich or apple eaten long before landing, as the dogs can detect residual odors from food no longer present in a traveler’s bag. New York Times, 23 July 2022 Some are the phantom smells of a sandwich or apple eaten long before landing, as the dogs can detect residual odors from food no longer present in a traveler’s bag. Linda Qiu, BostonGlobe.com, 23 July 2022 This year, The Home Depot decided to give Skelly a few friends, those being a 15-foot towering phantom, 12-foot hovering witch (which is already sold out!), 9.5-foot werewolf, and 12-foot inferno pumpkin skeleton. Hannah Jones, Country Living, 15 July 2022 In conjuring the phantom of Islamofascism after 9/11, Hitchens made his accommodation with neoliberal imperialism. Christian Lorentzen, Harper’s Magazine , 20 July 2022 The data — covering a period from Jan. 1, 2021, to Jan. 16, 2022 — show dozens of safety complaints about FSD, including many reports of phantom braking, in which a car’s automatic emergency braking system slams on the brakes for no apparent reason. Russ Mitchellstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2022 Adjective
Hubbard now battles sharp phantom pains and a loss of memory and cognizant skills. Tim Craig And Lori Rozsa, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Sep. 2022 Hubbard now battles sharp phantom pains and a loss of memory and cognizant skills. Lori Rozsa, Washington Post, 4 Sep. 2022 The gang heads to investigate reports of phantom screams at Thornhaven Manor; Zak, Nick and Aaron visit Kentucky in search of Civil War ghosts. Olivia Mccormack, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2022 There have been one-on-one drills at the Eagles' practice facility where Jurgens has kept Davis from getting to the phantom quarterback. Martin Frank, USA TODAY, 11 Aug. 2022 What won't be found is a red wagon full of phantom ballots. Neal Rubin, Detroit Free Press, 4 Aug. 2022 The reported phantom volume represents 80% of their daily trading volume. Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 3 Aug. 2022 Most of the reports are slope, but a few phantom users as well. Taylor Locke, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2022 Based on Castleman’s forensic look at EminiFX, the sophistication of the platform and its production of what appear to be phantom returns is astounding. Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 22 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English fantesme, fantosme, fantome, fantom "what only seems to have reality or value, vanity, illusion, apparition, falsehood," borrowed from Anglo-French fantosme, fantasme — more at phantasm
Note: For the etymological relation between this word and phantasm, see the note at the latter word. The spelling with initial ph- is a restoration from the Greek source.
Adjective
Middle English fantom, from attributive use of fantosme, fantom phantom entry 1
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Adjective
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing phantom
Kids Definition
phantom
noun
phan·tom ˈfan-təm
: an image or figure that can be sensed (as with the eyes or ears) but that is not real
Medical Definition
phantom 1 of 2
noun
phan·tom
variants also fantom
ˈfant-əm
1
: a model of the body or one of its parts
2
: a body of material resembling a body or bodily part in mass, composition, and dimensions and used to measure absorption of radiations
phantom
2 of 2adjective
variants also fantom
: not caused by an anatomical lesion
phantom respiratory disorders
phantom 1 of 2
adjective
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
Relevance
- imaginary
- fictitious
- mythical
- fictional
- mythic
- fantasied
- imagined
- phantasmal
- ideal
- chimerical
- unreal
- phantasmic
- imaginal
- invented
- fantastical
- notional
- fanciful
- theoretical
- chimeric
- legendary
- pretend
- made-up
- make-believe
- hypothetical
- fantastic
- fabled
- visionary
- theoretic
- fabulous
- unlikely
- romantic
- illusory
- abstract
- fictive
- nonexistent
- visualized
- hallucinatory
- phantasmagoric
- deceptive
- unbelievable
- delusive
- fabricated
- unconvincing
- phantasmagorical
- pictured
- conceived
- delusional
- envisioned
- envisaged
- feigned
- concocted
- daydreamlike
- inexistent
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- real
- actual
- existing
- true
- existent
- genuine
- authentic
- physical
- corporeal
- realistic
- verifiable
- factual
- substantial
- solid
- convincing
- tangible
- material
- believable
- verified
- palpable
phantom
2 of 2noun
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
- ghost
- apparition
- spirit
- wraith
- specter
- phantasm
- haunt
- poltergeist
- vampire
- demon
- shadow
- materialization
- spook
- spectre
- zombie
- vision
- sprite
- angel
- familiar spirit
- bogy
- visitant
- fantasm
- bogey
- ghoul
- bogie
- hant
- double
- zombi
- doppelgänger
- genie
- familiar
- shade
- daimon
- doppelganger
- incubus
- jinn
- jinni
- fetch
- shaitan
- lemures
- succubus
- lamia
- djinn
- devil
- djinni
- genius
- imp
- manes
- fiend
- daemon
- cacodemon
