as in apparition
the soul of a dead person thought of especially as appearing to living people
since no one lived in the attic, the landlord suggested that the new tenant might have seen the materialization of a woman once murdered there
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Recent Examples of materialization
Who knows if, in this upside-down world that currently weighs on her, the june bug can see the nearby corpse of another beetle, accidentally disemboweled by the home’s owner hours before, the white fat peeking out from her rear end like the materialization of her dying breath.
—
María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
Historical precedent suggests 18-24 months between credibility-damaging foreign policy moments and electoral materialization.
—Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Not rarely during an exorcism, some faithful, especially if victims of curses, gag, sometimes followed by the expulsion of gastrointestinal material and, in some cases, even the materialization of objects among the most varied (nails, glass, razor blades, braids of hair, etc.).
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
The high-top comes in a neutral White Sand hue, while dimensionality is added through a suede and canvas materialization.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 2 Apr. 2025
Not meant to be taken literally, the twist after a shocking act violence reads like the materialization of Ali’s desire to be a bolder, more stereotypically masculine iteration of himself.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 25 Jan. 2025
New materializations of pure desire, birthing all creatures, as hungry as new life.
—Ida Momennejad, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2024
Bottega Veneta’s high-craft clutches and 3D flower mules: iconic items of the house get even better with novel techniques and materializations.
—Sandra Salibian, WWD, 7 Oct. 2024
María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
Historical precedent suggests 18-24 months between credibility-damaging foreign policy moments and electoral materialization.
—Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Not rarely during an exorcism, some faithful, especially if victims of curses, gag, sometimes followed by the expulsion of gastrointestinal material and, in some cases, even the materialization of objects among the most varied (nails, glass, razor blades, braids of hair, etc.).
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
The high-top comes in a neutral White Sand hue, while dimensionality is added through a suede and canvas materialization.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 2 Apr. 2025
Not meant to be taken literally, the twist after a shocking act violence reads like the materialization of Ali’s desire to be a bolder, more stereotypically masculine iteration of himself.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 25 Jan. 2025
New materializations of pure desire, birthing all creatures, as hungry as new life.
—Ida Momennejad, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2024
Bottega Veneta’s high-craft clutches and 3D flower mules: iconic items of the house get even better with novel techniques and materializations.
—Sandra Salibian, WWD, 7 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for materialization
Noun
-
There certainly seem to be apparitions in this music, some presence apart from the four musicians and the throngs of fans, which is intensified by the visceral collision of so many sounds.—
Stephen M. Deusner,
Pitchfork,
27 Apr. 2026
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Those themes are alive here, as the ghosts who visit Depp’s Scrooge are intricate, terrifying apparitions not suitable for the whole family.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Money was counted daily, spoken of incessantly, felt in its paucity like a ghost in each room.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Apr. 2026
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That doesn’t mean the ghosts here aren’t scary.—
Jon Dolan,
Rolling Stone,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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There was more spirit, resilience and fight against Roberto De Zerbi’s side than Wolves had displayed in the second half of the 4-0 defeat at West Ham and almost the entirety of the 3-0 reverse at Leeds United.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The yarns of Joe Turner interweave gradually, everyday chit-chat, bargaining, and flirtation interlocking over time with threads of mysticism — both the ghosts of a brutal history and the ancestral spirits that stand protective and defiant like a phalanx of angels with shining swords.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Materialization.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/materialization. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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