as in reference
a statement that refers to something without mentioning it directly
The lyrics contain biblical allusions.
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Recent Examples of allusion
And posts with allusions to extremism have popped up on occasion in individual department or agency feeds, especially at DHS, which oversees both Customs and Border Protection and ICE.
—
Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 21 Jan. 2026
In the movies where Godzilla is attacking Japan rather than defending it against a worse kaiju, the country is cast as a victim — understandably so, because originally the monster was an allusion to the bombings that ravaged Japan.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
The finale also makes some allusions to things to come.
—Andrew McGowan, Variety, 15 Dec. 2025
Take note of the clever literary allusions and wordplay that might have gone over your head back in elementary school.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 7 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for allusion
Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 21 Jan. 2026
In the movies where Godzilla is attacking Japan rather than defending it against a worse kaiju, the country is cast as a victim — understandably so, because originally the monster was an allusion to the bombings that ravaged Japan.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
The finale also makes some allusions to things to come.
—Andrew McGowan, Variety, 15 Dec. 2025
Take note of the clever literary allusions and wordplay that might have gone over your head back in elementary school.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 7 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for allusion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for allusion
Noun
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The spa While the treatments are serious business at this top-notch spa, The Palm Springs Yacht Club is also here for plenty of tongue-in-cheek-fun, doubling down on the nautical theme and decked out in various hues of blue and stripes, with boating references everywhere.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Feb. 2026
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For reference, batteries in things like cellphones typically require around 800 cycles before the battery starts to degrade.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Even as some experts say instances of social media addiction are skyrocketing among young people, the phenomenon is new enough that consensus about its meaning and implications is far from clear, diagnosis and treatment are not standardized and a sense of its scope remains out of focus.—
Beige Luciano-Adams,
Baltimore Sun,
26 Feb. 2026
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In other words, the politics of voter ID have not caught up to its new partisan implications.—
Marc Novicoff,
The Atlantic,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Allusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allusion. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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