Synonym Chooser

How does the noun illusion contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of illusion are delusion, hallucination, and mirage. While all these words mean "something that is believed to be true or real but that is actually false or unreal," illusion implies a false ascribing of reality based on what one sees or imagines.

an illusion of safety

When is delusion a more appropriate choice than illusion?

While the synonyms delusion and illusion are close in meaning, 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

When could hallucination be used to replace illusion?

In some situations, the words hallucination and illusion are roughly equivalent. However, hallucination implies impressions that are the product of disordered senses, as because of mental illness or drugs.

suffered from terrifying hallucinations

When might mirage be a better fit than illusion?

The words mirage and illusion are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mirage in its extended sense applies to an illusory vision, dream, hope, or aim.

claimed a balanced budget is a mirage

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of illusion As debts rise and illusions fade, Tatuna confronts solitude, mortality and unresolved tensions of motherhood and legacy. Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 20 June 2025 And this illusion is a highlight of the guest experience. Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 19 June 2025 When everything is flatpack, everything is surface, surfaces that can be put together to create an illusion of volume. Joanna Walsh june 18, Literary Hub, 18 June 2025 The entire spectacle is, of course, a line-of-sight illusion — all three objects extremely far from each other. Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for illusion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illusion
Noun
  • Being from New York, it’s always been a dream of mine to play professionally here.
    Jenn Nelson, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
  • There are still a handful of dream sequences and surreal interludes that seem to want to underscore the show’s deep psychological curiosity, and its unwillingness to be an easy watch.
    Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • The series focuses on the dynamics of one Danish family and the stripping away of their—and our—delusions about climate change, status, exile, and separation.
    Air Mail, Air Mail, 21 June 2025
  • Researchers noted the positive effects of ecstatic epilepsy and synthesized fifty-three theoretical models of delusion.
    Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 21 June 2025
Noun
  • The Old Guard 2 — a sequel to the Charlize Theron fantasy superhero hit from 2020 — arrives on Netflix this week.
    Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
  • Set in a fantasy version of early 1900s Japan, the series focuses on the adventures Tanjiro Kamado, an ordinary boy whose peaceful life in the mountains is disrupted when demons murder his family.
    Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 28 June 2025
Noun
  • Learn the secrets behind wands, wishing trees and other plant folklore and myths.
    Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025
  • The man, the myth, the Netflix legend is back and more flirty than ever.
    Allison DeGrushe Published, EW.com, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • The maid gazes out the window, her mouth slightly open, as if lost in boredom or a daydream.
    Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 2 July 2025
  • For a home base that’s as inspiring as the journey itself, The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay rises from the cliffs like something out of a coastal daydream.
    Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • With very little margin for error, any misstep could lead to a steep correction.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • There is currently little room for error in either chamber for Republicans -- Speaker Mike Johnson can only afford three defections if all members are present and voting.
    David Brennan, ABC News, 30 June 2025
Noun
  • Just to the south, there is a vision for a regional transportation center, plus apartments on the site of the decaying One Talcott Plaza.
    Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2025
  • Still, its trine to numinous Neptune inspires you to expand your horizons and share your visions and ideas with others.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 28 June 2025
Noun
  • For Leader, this hammers home the unreality of a studio without an intense marketing machine around it.
    Ryan Gaur, IndieWire, 10 June 2025
  • The title is the latest from Naughty Dog, a studio with a reputation for games that aspire to the aesthetics and prestige of cinema, with memorable characters that behave realistically despite the unreality of video games.
    Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Illusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illusion. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

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