Thesaurus results for ALLUSIVE

allusive

adjective

Definition of allusive

as in referring

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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 allusive Yarvin tends to extreme digression, while Land speaks with the allusive compression of a guru. — James Duesterberg, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026 David Bowie, charming in interviews, and leaning toward the abstract and allusive in his lyrics, was not given to weighing in on news events. — Alexander Larman, Washington Post, 8 Jan. 2026 At times sparse and allusive, Moon’s poems use blank space and other stylistic considerations to convey a voice and thought that ranges from the contemplative to the surreal and absurd. — Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025 The Lady From the Sea, one of Ibsen’s most mysterious and allusive plays, centers on the figure of Ellida, a lighthouse keeper’s daughter with a maritime obsession. — Sarah Crompton, Vogue, 19 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for allusive

Recent Examples of Synonyms for allusive

Adjective

The artist and computer scientist Judith Donath said that the trend is indicative of people only engaging with the half of their technology that is immediately appealing and apparent.

— T.M. Brown, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
Many people had no idea OpenAI was considering bringing ads to ChatGPT, so the punchline landed flat—perhaps indicative of the wider cultural disconnect between Silicon Valley and everyone else.

— Harry Booth, Time, 17 July 2026

Definition of indicative

Adjective

Silbiger’s portfolio is a reflective combination of classic American motifs like Saguaro cacti and herds of bison, and odd roadside attractions like the inflatable Maine lobster.

— Sarah Silbiger, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
The students get permission from the schools to draw on the blackboards in advance, reflective of Japan’s conformist orderly culture.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 July 2026

Definition of reflective

Adjective

Semantic bleaching is another linguistic process whereby the denotative content of a word is stripped away.

— Brandon Tensley, CNN, 10 July 2022
The paragon of such an attempt is something like Jia Tolentino’s Trick Mirror, a work that stands as a denotative record of the social media shift, yet still falls to the same difficulties that characterize other cultural criticism of this type.

— SPIN, SPIN, 8 Feb. 2022

Definition of denotative

Adjective

In 2023 a team using eROSITA, an x-ray telescope launched in 2019, found evidence of a plasma shell structure heated to more than eight million degrees Celsius, but the telltale glow remained elusive.

— Damien Pine, Scientific American, 21 July 2026
The telltale sign of a cyclospora infection is frequent, watery diarrhea.

— Elise Haulund, CNN Money, 18 July 2026

Definition of telltale

Adjective

When balanced with thoughtful material selections and a clear design focus, bold tile can make a bath feel both expressive and harmonious.

— Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 July 2026
When transiting the sign of Leo, however, the influence of Jupiter can be just as creative, expressive and unapologetic with its authenticity.

— Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026

Definition of expressive

Adjective

The simple bodywork incorporates components like the seat and headlamp into the design while maintaining a characteristic adventure-bike stance.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 July 2026
Track three scuttles atop a bed of pine needles and broken eggshells, a nervous, almost dubsteppy rhythm haloed in Four Tet’s characteristic bell tones.

— Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 18 July 2026

Definition of characteristic

Adjective

The controversy the ad stirred up is symptomatic of a deeper rupture.

— Harry Booth, Time, 17 July 2026
In certain people, physicians may recommend a breast MRI; for instance, for a symptomatic patient or an asymptomatic person with a high risk of developing breast cancer.

— Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of symptomatic

Adjective

Beneath their monumental scale lies detailed engineering, with thousands of gears, mechanical elements and titanium components combining structural precision with symbolic imagery.

— Anthony DeMarco, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Begin at Chinggis Khaan Square, the symbolic heart of the city, before visiting the impressive Chinggis Khaan National Museum of Mongolia.

— Undraa Buyannemekh, Travel + Leisure, 22 July 2026

Definition of symbolic

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allusions

allusive

alluvion

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“Allusive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allusive. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of allusive

adjective

Example Sentences

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