Illusion — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /i-ˈlü-zhən/ il·lu·sion

Meaning & Definition of Illusion

Illusion (noun)

  1. a misleading image presented to the vision, optical illusion
  2. something that deceives or misleads intellectually
  3. an illusory effect created by a sleight-of-hand performer or a magician

Illusion (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a conception or image created by the imagination and having no objective reality

    "the magician specializes in creating illusions, so that people believe they have seen something when they really haven't"

    similar: chimera, conceit, daydream, delusion, dream, fancy, fantasy, figment, hallucination, nonentity, phantasm, pipe dream, unreality, vision, castle in Spain, castle in the air
    related: ignis fatuus, mirage, will-o'-the-wisp, brainchild, idea, concoction, fable, fabrication, fiction, invention, envisaging, imaging, visualization, cloud-cuckoo-land, cloudland, Shangri-la, utopia, daymare, nightmare
    near: actuality, fact, reality

  2. a false idea or belief

    "he had no illusions about how much effort and money the renovation project would require"

    similar: delusion, error, fallacy, falsehood, falsity, hallucination, misbelief, misconception, myth, old wives' tale, untruth
    related: factoid, superstition, fiction, pretense, distortion, inaccuracy, misapprehension, miscomprehension, misinterpretation, misjudgment, misperception, misunderstanding, misinformation, misknowledge, misreport, misrepresentation, misstatement, sophism, sophistry, fib, half-truth, lie, story, tale
    opposite: truth, verity

Related Entry: Optical illusion (noun)

Optical illusion is a different word from Illusion. The synonyms below are for optical illusion, not for illusion.

  1. 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."

    similar: mirage, chimera, conceit, daydream, delusion, dream, fancy, fantasy, figment, hallucination, illusion, nonentity, phantasm, pipe dream, unreality, vision, ignis fatuus, will-o'-the-wisp, brainchild, idea, concoction, fable, fabrication, fiction, invention, envisaging, imaging, visualization, apparition, appearance, cloudland, Shangri-la, utopia, daymare, nightmare, contrivance, creativity, ideation, imaginativeness, inventiveness, mind's eye, originality
    opposite: actuality, fact, reality

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Illusion

The most common words with a similar meaning to Illusion:

chimera, conceit, daydream, delusion, dream, fancy, fantasy, figment, hallucination, nonentity, phantasm, pipe dream, unreality, vision, error, fallacy, falsehood, falsity, misbelief, misconception, myth, old wives' tale, untruth, castle in Spain, castle in the air

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Illusion

Words with the opposite meaning of Illusion:

truth, verity

Related Words for Illusion

ignis fatuus, mirage, will-o'-the-wisp, brainchild, idea, concoction, fable, fabrication, fiction, invention, envisaging, imaging, visualization, cloud-cuckoo-land, cloudland, Shangri-la, utopia, daymare, nightmare, factoid, superstition, pretense, distortion, inaccuracy, misapprehension, miscomprehension, misinterpretation, misjudgment, misperception, misunderstanding

Near Antonyms of Illusion

actuality, fact, reality

Word Forms of Illusion

Inflections: illusions

Derived words: illusional (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Illusion

Middle English illusioun "mockery, derision, deception, something that deceives the senses or imagination," borrowed from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French illusion, borrowed from Late Latin illūsiōn-, illūsiō, going back to Latin, "ridicule," from illūdere "to make fun of, speak mockingly of, fool, dupe" (from il- il- + lūdere "to play, jest, amuse oneself, trifle with, tease") + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action ludicrous

First known use: 14th century

Words & Phrases Containing Illusion

optical illusion, under the illusion

Frequently Asked Questions about Illusion

What does "Illusion" mean?

"Illusion" means a misleading image presented to the vision, optical illusion. As a noun, it is defined as: a misleading image presented to the vision, optical illusion. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Illusion"?

Other words for "Illusion" include chimera, conceit, daydream, delusion, dream, fancy, fantasy and figment. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Illusion" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Illusion"?

There are 67 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Illusion". Common alternatives include chimera, conceit, daydream, delusion, dream, fancy, fantasy, figment, hallucination and nonentity.

What is the opposite of "Illusion"?

Antonyms of "Illusion" include truth and verity. Near antonyms include actuality, fact and reality.

How do you use "Illusion" in a sentence?

Examples of "Illusion" in a sentence: "the magician specializes in creating illusions, so that people believe they have seen something when they really haven't"; "he had no illusions about how much effort and money the renovation project would require".

Is "Illusion" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Illusion" is a noun.

How do you pronounce "Illusion"?

"Illusion" is pronounced /i-ˈlü-zhən/ and divided into syllables as il·lu·sion.

What is the origin of the word "Illusion"?

"Illusion" comes from Middle English illusioun "mockery, derision, deception, something that deceives the senses or imagination," borrowed from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French illusion, borrowed from Late Latin illūsiōn-, illūsiō, going back to Latin, "ridicule," from illūdere "to make fun of, speak mockingly of, fool, dupe" (from il- il- + lūdere "to play, jest, amuse oneself, trifle with, tease") + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action ludicrous. First known use: 14th century.