allusion

American  

[uh-loo-zhuhn] / əˈlu ʒən /

noun

• allusions
  plural

1. a passing or casual reference; an incidental mention of something, either directly or by implication.

   The novel's title is an allusion to Shakespeare.

2. the act of alluding; the making of a casual or indirect reference to something.

   The Bible is a fertile source of allusion in art.

3. Obsolete. a metaphor or parable.

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allusion British  

/ əˈluːʒən /

noun

1. the act of alluding

2. a passing reference; oblique or obscure mention

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allusion Cultural  

1. An indirect reference to some piece of knowledge not actually mentioned. Allusions usually come from a body of information that the author presumes the reader will know. For example, an author who writes, “She was another Helen,” is alluding to the proverbial beauty of Helen of Troy.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preallusion
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• allusions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of allusion

First recorded in 1540–50; Late Latin allūsiōn- (stem of allūsiō ), equivalent to allūs(us), past participle of allūdere ( see allude; al- + lūd- “play” + -tus past participle suffix) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

That little nod to a Dylan Thomas poem that you sneaked into your PowerPoint presentation? That was an allusion, a quick reference to something that your audience will have to already know in order to "get." An allusion often references a famous work of art or literature, or to something from your own life. For example, you might say, "I obviously am no expert at love" — an allusion to your failed relationships. The main thing to remember is that an allusion is a brief hint or a quick mention. It’s meant to bring to mind a particular subject, but it always avoids getting into it in great depth.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

allusion allusions

Mr. Macfarlane’s Norwegian allusion typifies this feast of a book.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

Paz has so far emphasized the need for dialogue but not ruled out using "constitutional instruments" to end the blockade of La Paz -- an allusion to declaring a state of emergency.

From Barron's ● May 27, 2026

One of the band’s central tunes is “Together,” an allusion to Sly and the Family Stone’s “Everyday People.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 12, 2026

The latter she built out as “my own Boss Hogg Cadillac” with horns on the hood, an allusion to the “The Dukes of Hazzard,” a late 1970s and early 1980s TV show.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 28, 2025

“Fate” being the writer’s coy allusion to marriage.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

“Cast Away” is a masterwork of creative fiction, employing historical scholarship, biblical allusions and Jungian psychology to deliver one of the most beguiling survival stories ever written.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

The allusions to real things in Ms. Butterly’s sculpture are limited, but they give the viewer one of the show’s rare opportunities to appreciate her sizable command of form for its own sake.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026

"It touched on so much in terms of thematic material and musical material," Kehrer said, pointing to the allusions to decolonization and use of traditional Puerto Rican rhythms.

From Barron's ● Jan. 30, 2026

Do the allusions and shout-outs to current events and personalities seem a little too close for comfort?

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 30, 2026

There are no early sources for his story except a few brief allusions in Hesiod, in the eighth or ninth century.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

Related Words

• quotation