mirage

noun

mi·​rage mə-ˈräzh 

1

: an optical (see optical sense 2a) effect that is sometimes seen at sea, in the desert, or over a hot pavement, that may have the appearance of a pool of water or a mirror in which distant objects are seen inverted, and that is caused by the bending or reflection of rays of light by a layer of heated air of varying density

2

: something illusory and unattainable like a mirage

A peaceful solution proved to be a mirage.

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Mirage and Vision

Mirage comes from the French verb mirer ("to look at"), which is related to mirror. Mirer, itself, is from Latin mīrārī ("to wonder at"), the ancestor of the commonly seen admire, miracle, and marvel.

Choose the Right Synonym for mirage

delusion, illusion, hallucination, mirage mean something that is believed to be true or real but that is actually false or unreal.

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

illusion implies a false ascribing of reality based on what one sees or imagines.

an illusion of safety

hallucination implies impressions that are the product of disordered senses, as because of mental illness or drugs.

suffered from terrifying hallucinations

mirage in its extended sense applies to an illusory vision, dream, hope, or aim.

claimed a balanced budget is a mirage

Examples of mirage in a Sentence

A peaceful solution proved to be a mirage.

Recent Examples on the Web

The surplus was a mirage, based on assumptions of a $40 billion annual increase in revenues that never happened. —Dan Walters, Mercury News, 18 July 2025

There’ll be times when people will turn their backs on truth and chase mirages. —Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 July 2025

Into the Desert’s Dreamscape Contrast the Delta’s lushness with the otherworldly Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, where the horizon stretches in all directions like a white mirage. —Marni Granston, Travel + Leisure, 14 July 2025

Future systems will generate endless mirages to trick the attackers down endless rabbit holes, exhausting their desire to succeed. —Carlo Tortora Brayda, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, from mirer "to look at, gaze at" (going back to Old French, going back to Latin mīrārī "to be surprised, look with wonder at") + -age -age — more at admire

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mirage

• barrage
• collage
• corsage
• dressage
• garage
• massage
• montage
• swaraj
• arbitrage
• camouflage
• entourage
• sabotage

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Kids Definition

mirage

noun

mi·​rage mə-ˈräzh 

: an illusion that gives the appearance of a pool of water or a mirror in which distant objects are seen inverted, that is sometimes seen at sea, in the desert, or over a hot pavement, and that is caused by the bending or reflection of light passing through layers of air having different temperatures

Medical Definition

mirage

noun

mi·​rage mə-ˈräzh 

: an optical effect that is sometimes seen at sea, in the desert, or over a hot pavement, that may have the appearance of a pool of water or a mirror in which distant objects are seen inverted, and that is caused by the bending or reflection of rays of light by a layer of heated air of varying density