illusion
false idea or belief
A wrong belief about what is real or true.
an illusion that [clause] / an illusion about [something]
- Many people still live with the illusion that money will solve all their problems.
- The company’s friendly image is just an illusion; the working conditions are terrible.
- He had no illusions about how hard it would be to start his own business.
- Her childhood illusions about love disappeared after the divorce.
- He was under the illusion that she loved him.
- The illusion of an easy life in the city brought many people there.
- I lost my illusions about that politician when I heard the news.
- We must face reality, not live in an illusion.
deceptive outward appearance
A look or appearance that makes something seem different from what it is.
an illusion of [quality]
- Tall mirrors on the walls create the illusion of a larger room.
- The bright advertising gives the illusion of luxury, but the product is cheaply made.
- The reforms created an illusion of progress without real change.
- The designer used light and color to give the illusion of extra height in the small space.
- The small lights gave the illusion of stars on the ceiling.
- Her smile gave the illusion of confidence.
- The painting creates an illusion of movement.
- The glass wall gives an illusion of more space in the office.
misleading sensory perception
Something you see, hear, or feel in a way that is not correct, often because your senses are tricked.
a[n] [optical/visual] illusion
- The lines in this picture are actually straight; the curve is just an optical illusion.
- The magician’s best illusion made the assistant seem to disappear.
- From far away, the lake on the road was only an illusion caused by the heat.
- The spinning pattern creates an illusion of movement even when the image is still.
- This picture is an optical illusion; the two lines are the same length.
- The magician’s illusion surprised the children.
- The pool you see in the desert is only an illusion.
- The round design gives an illusion that the center is moving.
unrealistic hope or expectation
A nice but unreal idea about how life, love, or the future will be.
illusions about [life / something]
- Her romantic illusions disappeared after a few months of living with him.
- He went into politics with youthful illusions that he could quickly change the system.
- Travel can destroy your illusions about a place, but it also teaches you a lot.
- By thirty, she had few illusions left about how the industry worked.
- When I was young, I had many illusions about love.
- He lost his illusions about his job after one year.
- She has no illusions about becoming rich soon.
- My illusions about city life ended when I saw how expensive it was.
technical sensory misinterpretation
In psychology, seeing, hearing, or feeling something that is real, but understanding it in the wrong way.
an illusion of [shape / movement / sound]
- In cognitive psychology, an illusion occurs when perception does not match the physical stimulus.
- The experiment used a classic visual illusion to study how the brain constructs depth.
- Illusions demonstrate that perception is an active process, not a perfect copy of the outside world.
- In psychology, an illusion is a mistake in how we see or hear something real.
- The professor used an illusion to show how our eyes can be wrong.
- This book explains different types of visual illusions.
- Some illusions help scientists understand how the brain works.
- Base: illusion
- Plural: illusion, illusions
be under no illusions
1fully aware of harsh reality
to clearly understand that something will be hard, dangerous, or unpleasant; not to expect something easy or nice
- I am under no illusions about how tough this course will be.
- They were under no illusions that the negotiations would succeed.
create the illusion of
1make something only seem real
to make something look or feel as if it is true or real, when it is not
- The designer used lighting to create the illusion of more space.
- The government tried to create the illusion of progress with a few small changes.
lose your illusions
1stop having unrealistic hopes
to stop believing in nice but unreal ideas, often after a bad experience
- After working there for a year, she lost her illusions about the fashion industry.
- Growing up often means losing some of your illusions about the world.
shatter someone's illusions
1destroy someone's false beliefs
to make someone lose their false, often hopeful ideas about something
- The scandal shattered the public’s illusions about the hero.
- Travel can shatter your illusions about a country, but it can also deepen your understanding.
the illusion of choice
1seeming but not real choice
when it seems like you can choose between many things, but in fact the choices are very limited or not real
- The long menu gives customers the illusion of choice, but all the dishes use the same few ingredients.
- Some critics say modern politics offers only the illusion of choice to voters.
under the illusion that
1mistakenly believe that
to wrongly believe that something is true or will happen
- She was under the illusion that her job was secure.
- Many voters are under the illusion that change will be quick and easy.
optical illusion
1A misleading visual perception
Something you see that looks different from what it really is.
- The magician’s trick was just an optical illusion.
- The famous picture of the two faces and the vase is an optical illusion.
- From this angle, the tower’s tilt is an optical illusion.
- From a distance, the road seemed wet, but it was just an optical illusion.