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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of illusion
Artists and couturiers are fond of the whimsy of trompe l’oeil, the trick of the eye, the illusion of reality.
—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
To achieve the look, start with a sheer coat of polish that's translucent enough to let the natural beige of your nail tip shine through, subtly creating the illusion of a soft French tip.
—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
19 June 2026
No one should be under any illusion that an American withdrawal from the Middle East will make the region more peaceful or stable.
—
Thomas Wright,
The Atlantic,
19 June 2026
Use Mirrors to Amplify Natural Light When positioned thoughtfully, mirrors can create the illusion of additional space.
—
Natasha Bazika,
Martha Stewart,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for illusion
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
To achieve the look, start with a sheer coat of polish that's translucent enough to let the natural beige of your nail tip shine through, subtly creating the illusion of a soft French tip.
—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
19 June 2026
No one should be under any illusion that an American withdrawal from the Middle East will make the region more peaceful or stable.
—
Thomas Wright,
The Atlantic,
19 June 2026
Use Mirrors to Amplify Natural Light When positioned thoughtfully, mirrors can create the illusion of additional space.
—
Natasha Bazika,
Martha Stewart,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for illusion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illusion
Noun
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With so much else to rebuild, a baseball season in 2026 seemed like more than a dream.
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Their dream houses have ocean views, swimming pools and four or more bedrooms, which may be hard to find.
Noun
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By chance, Rhaena arrives at the Gullet on dragonback just in time to make the same hubristic mistake as her sister and her cousin, all suffering from the delusion that the war needs them.
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Schizoaffective disorder is a mental health condition that is marked by a mix of schizophrenia symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions, and mood disorder symptoms, such as depression, mania and a milder form of mania called hypomania, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Noun
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Possibly the biggest Korean release of the summer, this dark fantasy historical thriller stars Nam Joo-hyuk as Gu-cheon, a man who can traverse the world of ghosts, alongside Roh Yoon-seo as Saeng-gang, a court lady carrying a dangerous secret.
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Sometimes that player fantasy can be expressed through a simple toy that just feels good, briefly.
Noun
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The piece’s name is also a nod to a Greek myth, in which the 50 daughters of King Danaos—the Danaïdes—were ordered to kill their husbands on their wedding night.
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Reinventing the Batman myth for a new generation of fans, Absolute Batman reimagines the Dark Knight as a working-class hero up against impossible odds on a mission to prove that even in an era of wealth, power and corruption, one good person can change the world.
Noun
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Your 10th House of Career and Status receives Jupiter, urging long-range vision and public progress that grows through structure.
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Roman will pair a large field of view with crisp infrared vision to survey deep, vast swaths of sky.
Noun
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With Yerry De los Santos also fumbling a bunt in the eighth, the Yanks tallied a season-high four errors on the night.
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Michael Conforto, Alex Bregman and Ian Happ had RBI hits in the sixth, when the Cubs’ runs were unearned thanks to a pair of errors.
Noun
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And amidst the momentum of reverie, there’s the line ‘Blink at the light and hope to survive,’ because daydreams in a fascist state can be scary too.
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One-touch passing, feinting and ripping hard shots into a tattered net, each is super-charged by vivid daydreams of glory on the international stage.
Noun
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The passion for sports is a matter of its unrealities—its past is more myth than history.
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The unreality of Lexi’s play gave us a fun-house mirror of the show cast back onto itself.
Cite this Entry
“Illusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illusion. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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