allude
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to refer casually or indirectly; make an allusion (usually followed byto ).
He often alluded to his poverty.
-
to contain a casual or indirect reference (usually followed byto ).
The letter alludes to something now forgotten.
verb
-
to refer indirectly, briefly, or implicitly
-
(loosely) to mention
Commonly Confused
See elude
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
alludesimple
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alludessimple
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have alludedperfect
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has alludedperfect
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am alludingprogressive
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are alludingprogressive
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is alludingprogressive
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have been alludingperfect progressive
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has been alludingperfect progressive
Past
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alludedsimple
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had alludedperfect
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was alludingprogressive
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were alludingprogressive
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had been alludingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of allude
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin allūdere “to play beside, make a playful allusion to,” equivalent to al- al- + lūdere “to play”
Explanation
When you allude to something, you don't identify it or mention it specifically. If you allude to the fact that a cop is sitting right behind you, your friends might stop talking about their plans to rob a bank. Allude is from Latin allūdere "to play with, joke" from the prefix ad- "toward" plus lūdere "to play." The corresponding noun is allusion, which is often used of an indirect reference in literature: Helen, a fitting name for a woman of great beauty, is an allusion to Helen of Troy.
Vocabulary lists containing allude
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 1
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
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The ACT: The Language of the Test, List 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
To allude to Frank Sinatra, you did it your way.
From MarketWatch ● May 13, 2026
In a statement that didn’t allude to the move, the Central Bank of Iraq said it wasn’t short of U.S. currency.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 22, 2026
Throughout, she’ll allude to stories of mistreated animals and the Griffith Park fire of 1933, heightening the sense that we are in the presence of unnatural occurrences.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 21, 2026
During a recent tour in London, Perry did appear to allude to her relationship status.
From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2025
Just every now and then, Ruth would allude to it.
From "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro
Still, I appreciated how cinematographer Kevin Atkinson alludes to the dusty Kansas prairie with a shot of a beige strip mall.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
"Every pundit alludes to it, but it all comes down to mental resilience. 'Bazball' has been elevated to a term now that is just, like, nonsense cricket," added Rory.
From BBC ● Dec. 22, 2025
“Degen” is a term that alludes to degenerate gamblers and first gained popularity on Reddit to refer to investors who gravitate toward wildly risky strategies.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 15, 2025
Neither argument identifies nor even alludes to racial considerations.
From Slate ● Nov. 18, 2025
Catullus tells several of the stories, and Horace alludes to them often, but neither is important for mythology.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
He had alluded to threats to his life when speaking in Ankara, Turkey.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
The IMF pointed to the unsettled nature of the Mideast conflict and also alluded to a possible backlash against artificial intelligence that damages stock markets.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026
"He alluded to that after," Upson told BBC Sport when asked if a forward line change is needed.
From BBC ● May 31, 2026
Niki’s musical genius is frequently alluded to, dreams deferred by his hearing disorder, and Woodall physically communicates that repressed frustration.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2026
As I’ve alluded to earlier, my mother really has quite a swearing habit on her.
From "I Am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak
This new space contrasts a bright, vivid backdrop with dark furnishings, alluding to the brand’s edgy, crisp designs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
But tonight, their team known as the "Albirroja" -- alluding to the blue and red of their jersey -- were kings.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
In a speech last summer, Roger Alford, who served as Slater’s top deputy, made a scathing speech alluding to how business was done at the department.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
Then, add a line alluding to the price she set and perhaps ask if she’d be willing to chat about how she goes about running her resale business.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 16, 2026
“You’d better take the little umbrella, dear. It looks like rain,” said her mother, observing that she had on her new bonnet, but not alluding to the fact.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
