illusionism
noun
il·lu·sion·ism
i-ˈlü-zhə-ˌni-zəm 
: the use of artistic techniques (such as perspective or shading) to create the illusion of reality especially in a work of art
Examples of illusionism in a Sentence
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Looking past these semantic disagreements, illusionism appears to be the leading view in the current philosophy of mind landscape.
—
Theodore McDarrah, Forbes.com, 27 July 2025
The artist, who’s known for installations that combine video, sculpture and projections, has both an artistic investment in and a family connection to illusionism.
—Julia Halperin, New York Times, 16 May 2024
So, there is always another level to illusionism, another more masterly bit of deception.
—Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 3 Nov. 2023
The greatest leaps in his development as an abstract painter came through absorption of the liberation of color in French Fauvism and the spatial transformation of pictorial illusionism in Claude Monet’s lily ponds, as well as from traditional Japanese aesthetics.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2023
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Theodore McDarrah, Forbes.com, 27 July 2025
The artist, who’s known for installations that combine video, sculpture and projections, has both an artistic investment in and a family connection to illusionism.
—Julia Halperin, New York Times, 16 May 2024
So, there is always another level to illusionism, another more masterly bit of deception.
—Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 3 Nov. 2023
The greatest leaps in his development as an abstract painter came through absorption of the liberation of color in French Fauvism and the spatial transformation of pictorial illusionism in Claude Monet’s lily ponds, as well as from traditional Japanese aesthetics.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Illusionism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/illusionism. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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