illusion

noun

i-ˈlü-zhən How to pronounce illusion (audio)
Definition of illusionnext
1
as in dream
a conception or image created by the imagination and having no objective reality the magician specializes in creating illusions, so that people believe they have seen something when they really haven't

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in delusion
a false idea or belief he had no illusions about how much effort and money the renovation project would require

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun illusion contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of illusion are delusion, hallucination, and mirage. While all these words mean "something that is believed to be true or real but that is actually false or unreal," illusion implies a false ascribing of reality based on what one sees or imagines.

an illusion of safety

When is delusion a more appropriate choice than illusion?

While the synonyms delusion and illusion are close in meaning, delusion implies an inability to distinguish between what is real and what only seems to be real, often as the result of a disordered state of mind.

delusions of persecution

When could hallucination be used to replace illusion?

In some situations, the words hallucination and illusion are roughly equivalent. However, hallucination implies impressions that are the product of disordered senses, as because of mental illness or drugs.

suffered from terrifying hallucinations

When might mirage be a better fit than illusion?

The words mirage and illusion are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mirage in its extended sense applies to an illusory vision, dream, hope, or aim.

claimed a balanced budget is a mirage

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of illusion The barefoot trend, or creating the illusion of being barefoot, has also helped increase the demand for clear shoes. — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026 American schools have repeatedly seen the illusion of safety shattered within the walls of their classrooms. — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026 Rubin, who is also a children's book author and magician, has spent years working in the world of illusion and performance. — Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026 An illusion who has to smoke through his COVID mask and juggle packages and doughnut shop coffee, but an illusion nonetheless. — Roberta Mercuri, Vanity Fair, 10 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for illusion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illusion
  1. dream
  2. delusion
  3. fantasy
  4. myth
  5. vision
  6. error
  7. daydream
  8. unreality
Noun
  • Sequenced at the center of a three-track medley, its death-dream logic deliberately evokes the SMiLE era’s dark, confusing edge.
    — Ryan Meehan, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026
  • In a bucket hat and without a care in the world, Murray speaks kindly but candidly about making his buddy Coyne’s TV dream come true.
    — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of dream
Noun
  • In contrast to the gorgeous monochrome visuals, this is a land that stinks of complicity and delusion — of opportunists desperate to scramble onto the right side of history.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Their passions and delusions strengthen through their symbiosis.
    — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of delusion
Noun
  • The two of them crafted a business plan for a bookstore, one that wouldn’t look out of place in a sword and sorcery fantasy novel, with a hidden speakeasy.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
  • From this spirited competition emerged two progenitors of modern horror, science fiction, and fantasy.
    — Maria Papadouris, JSTOR Daily, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of fantasy
Noun
  • Also intertwined are ancient myths of warring city-states, the raw, moody poetry of John Keats, and the modern battle between a faithless husband and his wife, the poem’s raging speaker.
    — Merve Emre, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026
  • In eighth-century myths the aes sidhe are literally called the tribe of the gods, and there’s a story as well, in an account of Patrick’s life written in the late seventh century.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of myth
Noun
  • When vision keynotes and customer stories promise an autonomous future, but lived experiences don’t match up, trust fades.
    — Chris Koehler, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Some opening day effects are long gone, such as the illusion created by actual shifting doors at the start of the attraction, or visions of tumbling rubble near its beginning.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of vision
Noun
  • Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler lead Lakers past the Clippers in an error-prone game.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The two-point difference is within the poll’s margin of error.
    — Luisa Yanez, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of error
Noun
  • This helps warm up the imagination; daydreams, nightmares are easy ways in.
    — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The songs on Purdy also have the tone of journal entries, detailing haggard trips to the grocery store, daydreams about his young daughters’ glamorous adult lives, and observations about the banality of oppression.
    — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of daydream
Noun
  • Cignetti’s Hoosiers have warped this choice, bending expectations into a soft pretzel of unreality.
    — Noah White, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Subverting the unassuming realism of the city with the twisted unreality of this level design not only heightens the uncanny factor but also unlocks more design creativity.
    — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of unreality

Phrases Containing illusion

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ill-using
illusion
illusionist
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Cite this Entry

“Illusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illusion. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on illusion

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about illusion

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