as in illusions
an image that tricks a person's vision
Some may dismiss what we witnessed that night as an optical illusion, but we firmly believe it was a UFO.
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Recent Examples of optical illusions
The event will enable children ages 9-12 to explore optical illusions by experimenting with magnifying glasses and mirrors to bend light, create effects and use Oculus Quest VR headsets to brew potions, mix chemistry compounds and conjure creations.
—
La Jolla Light, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026
But aggregates are often optical illusions.
—Katica Roy, Fortune, 14 Jan. 2026
Crew members rushed about, tending to the set’s various optical illusions, which included an Escher-like maze of stairwells, some real, some painted on a matte board, and two performers, playing Chinese folk music, who on closer inspection turned out to be a pair of paper cutouts.
—Dennis Zhou, New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2025
German vision scientist Michael Bach has a whole host of optical illusions on his website.
—Diana Hubbell, Popular Science, 29 Oct. 2025
Known for surrealistic designs and sculptural shapes, Harri transformed mostly wide-leg jeans into optical illusions with through prints and gradients.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 29 Sep. 2025
Brief, startling moments of illumination are everywhere in its stories; so are all kinds of optical illusions and distortions.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2025
What Schiaparelli observed in good faith, and Lowell in blind faith, were optical illusions caused by dust storms and the chance alignment of surface features like craters.
—David Kamp, Air Mail, 23 Aug. 2025
Museum of Illusions, an international edutainment franchise, offers interactive optical illusions and sensory experiences.
—Marcus Smith, Sacbee.com, 8 Aug. 2025
La Jolla Light, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026
But aggregates are often optical illusions.
—Katica Roy, Fortune, 14 Jan. 2026
Crew members rushed about, tending to the set’s various optical illusions, which included an Escher-like maze of stairwells, some real, some painted on a matte board, and two performers, playing Chinese folk music, who on closer inspection turned out to be a pair of paper cutouts.
—Dennis Zhou, New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2025
German vision scientist Michael Bach has a whole host of optical illusions on his website.
—Diana Hubbell, Popular Science, 29 Oct. 2025
Known for surrealistic designs and sculptural shapes, Harri transformed mostly wide-leg jeans into optical illusions with through prints and gradients.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 29 Sep. 2025
Brief, startling moments of illumination are everywhere in its stories; so are all kinds of optical illusions and distortions.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2025
What Schiaparelli observed in good faith, and Lowell in blind faith, were optical illusions caused by dust storms and the chance alignment of surface features like craters.
—David Kamp, Air Mail, 23 Aug. 2025
Museum of Illusions, an international edutainment franchise, offers interactive optical illusions and sensory experiences.
—Marcus Smith, Sacbee.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for optical illusions
Noun
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Saturn, the planet of boundaries, responsibility, and foundations, and Neptune, the planet of dreams, illusions, and spirituality, haven’t met up since 1989.—
Maressa Brown,
InStyle,
20 Feb. 2026
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Our illusions are likely to come into contact with reality today.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Music promoters, both craving the one-upmanship and genuine satisfaction of getting a lucrative band back on a stage, have more money at their disposal than ever before to make their pipe dreams a reality.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
13 Nov. 2025
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The stalker pipe dreams need to stop here.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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As the 14-year-old child of a poor family in 1858, Saint Bernadette experienced numerous apparitions of a young woman in a cave or grotto, seemingly the Virgin Mary, asking for a chapel to be built on the site.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Feb. 2026
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The small museum, which opened last year, covers the creatures, apparitions and mysteries eluding prosaic explanation.—
Adam Kuehl,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Optical illusions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/optical%20illusions. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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