as in imaginary
formal
based on something that is not true or real; based on an illusion
an illusory hope an illusory sense of security
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 illusory
But in the case of Sudan’s current civil war, any hope that negotiations, if they can be started, will result in lasting peace is illusory.
—
Mai Hassan, Foreign Affairs, 30 Apr. 2025
The feeling of openness might be illusory at the very biggest events in tennis, but at least the chasing pack are no longer going into majors resigned to their fate.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
But as his physical stunts — nothing illusory about them — have repeatedly demonstrated, his capacity for hurt appears to dwarf that of most humans.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 17 Apr. 2025
Romance can be illusory while Mercury joins Neptune.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for illusory
Mai Hassan, Foreign Affairs, 30 Apr. 2025
The feeling of openness might be illusory at the very biggest events in tennis, but at least the chasing pack are no longer going into majors resigned to their fate.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
But as his physical stunts — nothing illusory about them — have repeatedly demonstrated, his capacity for hurt appears to dwarf that of most humans.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 17 Apr. 2025
Romance can be illusory while Mercury joins Neptune.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for illusory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illusory
Adjective
-
The Royal Observatory Greenwich is home to Greenwich Mean Time and the Prime Meridian, an imaginary line of longitude, designated as 0 degrees that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
-
The soundtrack shifts toward lighter indie rock and away from brain-numbing redundancies, while the story treats those imaginary genre sketches like an accidental off-ramp left in the rearview.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
10 July 2025
Adjective
-
In a sit-down interview, Goldberg said the amount of disrespect Gunther had for Goldberg was unreal.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
-
And, if Mateer and Ott are as-advertised, this could be an unreal year for the Sooners.—
Nick Baumgardner,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
The situation simply wasn't ideal for the veteran passer.—
Justin Grasso,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 July 2025
-
In the 1960s, in a bid to supersize the nation's tourism industry, the Mexican government first identified a particularly pristine stretch of postcard-perfect sand on the Yucatán Peninsula, the ideal destination to draw in travelers.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
With one technique, for example—called imaginal exposure—you might be asked to visualize the process of going to the airport, boarding the plane, and experiencing a bad bout of turbulence.—
Angela Haupt,
TIME,
10 May 2024
-
Mercury entering into Pisces turns up the imaginal juice.—
USA TODAY,
USA TODAY,
23 Feb. 2024
Adjective
-
So worst-case would be a fifth-place finish, which is unlikely.—
Mark Hughes,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
-
Trump is unlikely to allow India’s policy toward Ukraine to determine the future of a U.S.-India deal or a thaw in trade tensions, for example, and likewise with China.—
Thomas Wright,
The Atlantic,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Illusory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illusory. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share