mirage

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun mirage contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of mirage are delusion, hallucination, and illusion. While all these words mean "something that is believed to be true or real but that is actually false or unreal," mirage in its extended sense applies to an illusory vision, dream, hope, or aim.

claimed a balanced budget is a mirage

Where would delusion be a reasonable alternative to mirage?

The words delusion and mirage can be used in similar contexts, but 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 mirage?

In some situations, the words hallucination and mirage 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 can illusion be used instead of mirage?

While the synonyms illusion and mirage are close in meaning, illusion implies a false ascribing of reality based on what one sees or imagines.

an illusion of safety

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 mirage Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian dismissed the appeal, calling it nothing more than a mirage. Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025 Nevertheless the Giants traded away three players from their major-league roster and will now get the chance to see whether their recent turnaround is more than a mirage (consecutive losses to the Nationals over the weekend didn’t help). Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2025 The second is that there is undeniably an issue lurking somewhere beneath that mirage. James O'Connell, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2025 Ultimately, Lyne’s films are about chasing a mirage: control, desire, and transcendence through beauty. arkansasonline.com, 10 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for mirage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mirage
Noun
  • Designers leaned into loose, chemise-style dresses that evoked a European countryside sensibility (cue the daydream of wandering through a field of lilacs).
    Jalil Johnson, Refinery29, 13 Aug. 2025
  • Ellen retreats to her room and daydreams of her father, who understood his headstrong daughter.
    Lincee Ray Published, EW.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Humming Bird is a self-care dream with multiple outdoor showers and baths to relax and unwind.
    Rana Good, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
  • Now, 32 years later, at age 60, Diana rekindles her dream of conquering this aquatic marathon, determined to face the open waters with the support of both her coach (Jodie Foster) and a team of sailors and without the protection of a shark cage.
    Alex Gurley, People.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Advertisement The difference in hurricane activity between the two oceans is actually more climatological illusion than fact.
    Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Torches held by ancient hands would have given the tableau the illusion of movement.
    Matthew Carey, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Mirage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mirage. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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