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.

---

allusion British  

/ əˈluːʒən /

noun

1. the act of alluding

2. a passing reference; oblique or obscure mention

---

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.

---

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

The cat’s “puppy-like confidence” is as close as Jill gets to any canine allusion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 1, 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

Lego aficionados or those who grew up with the sets will likely spy many an allusion to past toys.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 6, 2026

He might hope the odd allusion jogs a memory; no more.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 6, 2026

Jethro did not understand the allusion, and Shadrach seemed to be in no mood for explanations.

From "Across Five Aprils" by Irene Hunt

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

Similarly, his cultural allusions no longer provoke even a tingle, let alone a shock of recognition.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

I saw a lot of allusions and references in your lyrics and videos to “trashy icons,” like Lindsay Lohan with the Chanel purse ankle monitor.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 25, 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

The discussion of Mr. Collins’s offer was now nearly at an end, and Elizabeth had only to suffer from the uncomfortable feelings necessarily attending it, and occasionally from some peevish allusions of her mother.

From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen

Related Words

• quotation