ILLUSIONS Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

illusions

noun

plural of illusion

as in dreams

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

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as in delusions

a false idea or belief he had no illusions about how much effort and money the renovation project would require

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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 illusions Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shattered Europe’s remaining illusions not just about Moscow but also about Beijing. — Kurt M. Campbell, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 Published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior, 95 people—Millennial and Gen Z men and women, all of whom had a history of using Instagram for an average of eight years—underwent a virtual reality experience called body illusions. — Nicole Karlis, Allure, 14 Aug. 2026 But Zinn’s illusions in the war, challenged already by lefties in the ranks and by seeing his friends killed, were permanently put to rest due to the bombing of Royan. — Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026 The rise of Black power influenced Chicano activism, and many Mexican Americans increasingly shed illusions that they could be seen as white, at least legally so, and rejected assimilationist impulses. — Eladio Bobadilla, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2026 Neither of them, however, had any illusions about his prospects. — Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 13 July 2026 Because only in intense, rarefied states will our illusions finally drop away, like redundant scaffolding, freeing us to perceive life on a more visceral level. — Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 11 July 2026 Ukraine, though harboring no illusions about matching Russia’s long-range weaponry or the size of its fighting forces, has been ramping up domestic production of more advanced, longer-range drones and missiles. — Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 9 July 2026 Presented Out of Competition at the 1967 edition of Venice, Deadly Sweet takes it cue from a brief encounter between a disenchanted man and a girl with no illusions in the wake of the murder of a nightclub owner in London. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 29 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for illusions

Noun

McGehean says this emphasis on working well together is the only way to achieve dreams.

— Jessica Bryant, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
His videos drew dozens of aspiring food truck owners, many of them immigrants like Ochoa, who entrusted him with their life savings in hopes of turning their dreams into a livelihood.

— Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of dreams

Noun

That’s the sign of an overmatched team, and one that should be far, far away from any delusions of postseason grandeur.

— Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Symptoms of toxicity can include delusions, loss of appetite, difficulty breathing and increases in blood pressure and heart rate.

— Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of delusions

Noun

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have contrasting visions for the region and beyond, including Libya, Sudan, and Yemen.

— Dina Esfandiary, Foreign Affairs, 27 Aug. 2026
The 20th century in particular abounded in such visions, some of which—The Handmaid’s Tale, or Brave New World, published in 1932 and getting spookier every day—have proved more prophetic than others.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of visions

Noun

Luckily with the advent of social media, more people are sharing their experiences with these conditions, and this will hopefully contribute to the dispelling of myths about these conditions.

— Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Visitors are invited to travel across time and place to notice how societies around the world tended to weave similar, parallel myths.

— Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of myths

Noun

Djokovic made 70 unforced errors in a painful performance that ended mere minutes before midnight.

— Stephen Whyno, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Correct any errors, resolve outstanding issues where possible and make sure the information lenders see is up to date — such as the incorporation date, state of registration, number of employees and annual sales.

— Carson Brunson, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of errors

Noun

And amidst the momentum of reverie, there’s the line ‘Blink at the light and hope to survive,’ because daydreams in a fascist state can be scary too.

— Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 23 June 2026
One-touch passing, feinting and ripping hard shots into a tattered net, each is super-charged by vivid daydreams of glory on the international stage.

— Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 22 June 2026

Definition of daydreams

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illusionists

illusions

illusive

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“Illusions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illusions. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of illusions

noun

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