Illustration of illusion
- a and b are equal in length
illusion
noun
il·lu·sion
i-ˈlü-zhən 
plural illusions
1
a(1)
: a misleading image presented to the vision : optical illusion
(2)
: something that deceives or misleads intellectually
b(1)
: perception of something objectively existing in such a way as to cause misinterpretation of its actual nature
(2)
(3)
: a pattern capable of reversible perspective
2
a(1)
: the state or fact of being intellectually deceived or misled : misapprehension
(2)
: an instance of such deception
b
obsolete
: the action of deceiving
3
: a fine plain transparent bobbinet or tulle usually made of silk and used for veils, trimmings, and dresses
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Allusion and Illusion
Allusion and illusion may share some portion of their ancestry (both words come in part from the Latin word ludere, meaning “to play”), and sound quite similar, but they are distinct words with very different meanings. An allusion is an indirect reference, whereas an illusion is something that is unreal or incorrect. Each of the nouns has a related verb form: allude “to refer indirectly to,” and illude (not a very common word), which may mean “to delude or deceive” or “to subject to an illusion.”
Synonyms
Examples of illusion in a Sentence
The video game is designed to give the illusion that you are in control of an airplane.
They used paint to create the illusion of metal.
She says that all progress is just an illusion.
Recent Examples on the Web
This transit also encourages us to confront illusions and emotional blockages while cultivating a deeper connection with our intuition and creativity.
—
Valerie Mesa, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024
Given that environment, Trump advisers aren’t under any illusions.
—Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 1 Nov. 2024
Some authors even employ ultra-short chapters to create more white space on the page, giving the illusion of faster movement through the story.
—Jd Barker, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2024
The brain then fills in the gaps between still images viewed in rapid succession and perceives this as movement, an illusion that early-20th-century psychologists named the phi phenomenon.
—Charlotte Hu, Scientific American, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for illusion 
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Valerie Mesa, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024
Given that environment, Trump advisers aren’t under any illusions.
—Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 1 Nov. 2024
Some authors even employ ultra-short chapters to create more white space on the page, giving the illusion of faster movement through the story.
—Jd Barker, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2024
The brain then fills in the gaps between still images viewed in rapid succession and perceives this as movement, an illusion that early-20th-century psychologists named the phi phenomenon.
—Charlotte Hu, Scientific American, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for illusion
Dictionary Entries Near illusion
Cite this Entry
“Illusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/illusion. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
illusion
noun
il·lu·sion
il-ˈü-zhən
1
: a misleading image presented to the eye
2
: the state or fact of being led to accept as true something unreal or imagined
3
: a mistaken idea
Medical Definition
illusion
noun
il·lu·sion
il-ˈü-zhən
1
: a misleading image presented as a visual stimulus
2
a
: perception of something objectively existing in such a way as to cause misinterpretation of its actual nature
especially
: optical illusion compare delusion sense 2
c
: a pattern capable of reversible perspective
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