optical illusion

noun

plural optical illusions
: a misleading image presented to the vision
Zebras look like optical illusions to me. Which are they—black with white stripes or white with black stripes?Al Robinson
The sun, moon, and planets circle above the terrestrial plane in the region of the equator. Their apparent rising and setting is an optical illusion caused by atmospheric refraction …Ranger Rick

Examples of optical illusion in a Sentence

The closer building looks larger than the farther one, but it's just an optical illusion. The two buildings are actually the same size.
Recent Examples on the Web Day and night aren't exactly 12 hours long on the day of the equinox because the Earth's atmosphere refracts, or bends, light in an optical illusion that brings more daylight than there really is. USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2024 But in the absence of conclusions, conspiracy theories have flourished, even as scientists and independent investigators made the case that optical illusions, weather phenomena, scientific balloons or drones were reasonable causes of nearly all of the unexplained incidents. Julian E. Barnes, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Edible optical illusions taken to the Nth degree, this show is an invitation to marvel at an elite force of skilled bakers pulling off the impossible: Disguising dessert as a roll of toilet paper? EW.com, 10 Nov. 2023 But some analysts have said the sightings are probably a combination of optical illusions, drones, litter and advanced technology being tested by other nations. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 26 Jan. 2024 Lamenting the poor quality of UAP sighting data—especially the preponderance of potential optical illusions and misconceptions—was a common theme during the meeting. Benj Edwards, Ars Technica, 1 June 2023 Instead of her usual milky pink or sheer white polish, Kardashian chose a deep, dark, gothic black to pair with her optical illusion gown. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 26 Jan. 2024 This is hardly the first time an optical illusion has ignited a heated debate on social media. Erin Clements, Peoplemag, 5 Dec. 2023 Your winter outings just got a lot more fashionable with this optical illusion. Andrea Navarro, Glamour, 18 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'optical illusion.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1763, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of optical illusion was in 1763

Dictionary Entries Near optical illusion

Cite this Entry

“Optical illusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/optical%20illusion. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

optical illusion

noun

Medical Definition

optical illusion

noun
: visual perception of a real object in such a way as to misinterpret its actual nature

More from Merriam-Webster on optical illusion

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