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.
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Recent Examples of optical illusion
The triangle, however, is merely an optical illusion, with Procyon and Sirius at 11.4 and 8.7 light-years from the sun, but Betelgeuse at a whopping 650 light-years distant.
—
Jamie Carter, Space.com, 14 Apr. 2026
While attending Revolve Fest on April 11, the One Battle After Another actress showcased her ability to bend sartorial norms—and set new trends—while pairing an unusual futuristic chrome face accessory with an optical illusion netted naked dress.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 12 Apr. 2026
But that proved to be an optical illusion.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
The complications showcased in Schulz-Hildebrandt’s nine dot optical illusion is a great example of a phenomenon called simultaneous contrast.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for optical illusion
Jamie Carter, Space.com, 14 Apr. 2026
While attending Revolve Fest on April 11, the One Battle After Another actress showcased her ability to bend sartorial norms—and set new trends—while pairing an unusual futuristic chrome face accessory with an optical illusion netted naked dress.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 12 Apr. 2026
But that proved to be an optical illusion.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
The complications showcased in Schulz-Hildebrandt’s nine dot optical illusion is a great example of a phenomenon called simultaneous contrast.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for optical illusion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for optical illusion
Noun
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While Goodman’s paradoxes and fantasies posed challenges to me as her biographer, with the advent of AI slop and ChatGPT, our courtship with illusion (and possibly delusion) is here to stay.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
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Van Dyke saw his job less as someone creating CG imagery — of which there was almost none in the sequence — than as a sort of additional set decorator, adding physical elements to sell the illusion.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
12 May 2026
Noun
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Only this second chance runs through youth reformatories and eventually the California State Prison – outside life is but a pipe dream.—
Zach Dennis,
Charlotte Observer,
15 May 2026
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But that seems to be a bit of a pipe dream.—
Jon Martindale,
PC Magazine,
15 May 2026
Noun
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The peak of Mercury's apparition (for latitude 40 degrees north) and its greatest elongation from the sun don't occur until the middle of June.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
2 May 2026
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The museum site has been a paranormal hotbed for decades, with sightings of apparitions, security camera footage capturing items flying off shelves, as well as experiences from staff members and visitors.—
Gregory Harutunian,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Workers will continue with smaller tasks around the facade, including the installation of chimeras that sit on the roofline, but the heavy lifting has been completed, Walter said.—
Dylan Lovan,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
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Rather than a somewhat normal for Hollywood bakeoff, Paramount plans to kind of smush the two scripts together into one IP chimera.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Optical illusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/optical%20illusion. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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