as in reference
a statement that refers to something without mentioning it directly
The lyrics contain biblical allusions.
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Recent Examples of allusion
The Gospel writers bolstered their narratives of Christ’s life with a wealth of allusions and references from the Old Testament.
—
Lamorna Ash, The Dial, 6 May 2025
His persecution, presented in spurts across the various timelines, seldom leads to a coherent story of a man being chased by demons of his own making (despite frequent allusions to Mossad catching up to other Nazi leaders).
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 May 2025
The revisions happened quickly, and almost unilaterally: the editor chopped my prose to pithy morsels, erasing the darker tones and my allusions to past self-harm.
—Sarah Aziza, People.com, 14 May 2025
Here’s her side of the story: Louise Flannery (of course, her real name is also a literary allusion) was a student in the writing class for which Beck was the teacher’s assistant.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for allusion
Lamorna Ash, The Dial, 6 May 2025
His persecution, presented in spurts across the various timelines, seldom leads to a coherent story of a man being chased by demons of his own making (despite frequent allusions to Mossad catching up to other Nazi leaders).
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 May 2025
The revisions happened quickly, and almost unilaterally: the editor chopped my prose to pithy morsels, erasing the darker tones and my allusions to past self-harm.
—Sarah Aziza, People.com, 14 May 2025
Here’s her side of the story: Louise Flannery (of course, her real name is also a literary allusion) was a student in the writing class for which Beck was the teacher’s assistant.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for allusion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for allusion
Noun
-
The film reinforces Agnes’ emotional suspension through literary references.—
Rachel Brodsky,
Rolling Stone,
6 June 2025
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Requesting and verifying references, doing an initial trial period, and conducting background checks (if possible) can offer peace of mind that your child is in good hands.—
Alex Vance,
Parents,
6 June 2025
Noun
-
The implication: Promote unions, not manufacturing.—
Greg Rosalsky,
NPR,
27 May 2025
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The implication that the media tends to portray is that the AI was somehow fully autonomous.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Allusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allusion. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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