as in illusion
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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 optical illusion
Noisy machines whir, vibrate and rotate, mixing light and shadow, sound, movement and optical illusions.
—
Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Striping, an optical illusion, comes from the color differences of grass blades bending in opposite directions.
—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 May 2026
The optical illusion reminded early settlers of the blockades of wooden stakes, or palisades, built around forts to ward off threats.
—
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
Marchant’s references are appropriately heady: psychedelics, flow states, optical illusions, and wormholes.
—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for optical illusion
Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Striping, an optical illusion, comes from the color differences of grass blades bending in opposite directions.
—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 May 2026
The optical illusion reminded early settlers of the blockades of wooden stakes, or palisades, built around forts to ward off threats.
—
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
Marchant’s references are appropriately heady: psychedelics, flow states, optical illusions, and wormholes.
—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for optical illusion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for optical illusion
Noun
-
Cosm has really cut its teeth on a lot of live sports and concert films, with the dome shape and stadium seating designed to give the illusion of being on the field or in the front row.
-
Unfortunately, says Bradley Elliott, a researcher at the University of Westminster and trustee for the British Society for Research on Ageing, this is an illusion.
Noun
-
But instant 100% tariffs look like a pipe dream given the constraints of the trade law.
-
Once a pipe dream, the idea of a federal film subsidy now seems like a real possibility.
Noun
-
Reports of strange sounds, apparitions, and unexplained encounters continue to attract visitors.
-
Why then, when discussing body image after weight changes, is our culture reaching for the language of vexing apparitions and death?
Noun
-
Additional cast members include Lorenzo James Henrie (Fear the Walking Dead), Lorenzo Richelmy (Netflix's Marco Polo), Vincenzo Nemolato (La chimera), and Rupert Everett (My Best Friend's Wedding).
-
High atop what's known as Northern Kentucky’s Notre-Dame are 58 new terra cotta gargoyles and chimeras watching over the city.
Cite this Entry
“Optical illusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/optical%20illusion. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
