Chimera
noun /kaɪˈmɪərə/ — An impossible dream that seems just real enough to chase.
Definition
A thing hoped for but illusory or impossible to achieve; originally a fire-breathing monster of Greek myth with a lion's head, goat's body, and serpent's tail.
Beyond the definition
The chimera is the dream you keep pursuing even though part of you suspects it doesn't exist. More precisely than 'illusion', it names a specific kind of hope that is constructed from incompatible parts — beautiful and monstrous at once, impossible but alluring.
Origin & history
From Greek Chimaira — the fire-breathing monster slain by Bellerophon, riding Pegasus. Its name meant 'she-goat' but became associated with any hybrid impossibility.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The idea of perfect work-life balance remains a chimera for most professionals.
She recognised the relationship for what it was — a chimera she had built from wishful thinking.
He spent years chasing the chimera of critical and commercial success in equal measure.
Synonyms
illusion, fantasy, delusion, pipe dream, impossibility
Antonyms
reality, certainty, attainable goal
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Two figures across a room
Two adults stand at opposite sides of a crowded room, sharing a brief, intense, and hesitant look.
The connection they both want but hesitate to make is a chimera. Like the mythical monster, it is a hope that feels potentially illusory or impossible to grasp, creating a persistent, unreachable desire that occupies their minds but never quite materializes.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration