as in references
a statement that refers to something without mentioning it directly
The lyrics contain biblical allusions.
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Recent Examples of allusions
In contrast to the soulless 2010 remake, allusions to the original film are done with care so that something like Julie (Tracy Middendorf) getting pulled onto the ceiling feels as shocking as the moment that inspired it a decade prior.
—
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
And even in a film telling a universal story, some cultural allusions speak most strongly to the home audience.
—Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 3 Oct. 2025
The allusions to Mexican culture appear to be designed to highlight the Republican claims that Democrats are demanding federal benefits for migrants without legal status as a condition to winning their support on a budget bill — a charge the Democrats deny.
—Mike Lillis, The Hill, 30 Sep. 2025
Repression, self-harm, substance abuse, bullying, jealousy, emotional abuse, and even allusions to grooming, among other terrors of the fog, keep the tensions high from start to finish.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025
Those messages included a mix of memes and allusions to video games.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 15 Sep. 2025
The messages on the bullet casings also included a mix of memes and allusions to video games.
—Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2025
While some allusions only indicate the time, others go into mythology.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
The film is not pretentious about its literary allusions though.
—Caryn James, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2025
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
And even in a film telling a universal story, some cultural allusions speak most strongly to the home audience.
—Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 3 Oct. 2025
The allusions to Mexican culture appear to be designed to highlight the Republican claims that Democrats are demanding federal benefits for migrants without legal status as a condition to winning their support on a budget bill — a charge the Democrats deny.
—Mike Lillis, The Hill, 30 Sep. 2025
Repression, self-harm, substance abuse, bullying, jealousy, emotional abuse, and even allusions to grooming, among other terrors of the fog, keep the tensions high from start to finish.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025
Those messages included a mix of memes and allusions to video games.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 15 Sep. 2025
The messages on the bullet casings also included a mix of memes and allusions to video games.
—Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2025
While some allusions only indicate the time, others go into mythology.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
The film is not pretentious about its literary allusions though.
—Caryn James, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for allusions
Noun
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Dave had shelves full of books and an array of wonderful and surprising musical references.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
23 Oct. 2025
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These references are likely due to the intersection of American identification with Roman republicanism, which the play dramatizes, and the long history of American interest in Shakespeare specifically.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The $400 million gift drew bipartisan criticism for its ethical and national security implications.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
26 Oct. 2025
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And this game figures to have implications on the Atlantic Coast Conference championship race.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
26 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Allusions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allusions. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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