illusory

[ih-loo-suh-ree, -zuh-]

See more synonyms for illusory on Thesaurus.com

adjective

causing illusion; deceptive; misleading.
of the nature of an illusion; unreal.

Origin of illusory

1590–1600; < Late Latin illūsōrius, equivalent to illūd(ere) to mock, ridicule (see illusion) + -tōrius -tory¹

Related formsil·lu·so·ri·ly, adverbil·lu·so·ri·ness, nounun·il·lu·so·ry, adjective

Can be confusedelusive illusory

Synonyms

See more synonyms for illusory on Thesaurus.com

1. fallacious, specious, false. 2. imaginary; visionary, fancied.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for illusory

Contemporary Examples

We still seem driven by hype, by illusory health scares and benefits, by pomp, by the new and trendy, than by taste.
This Book Will Change the Way You Eat
Lucas Wittmann
December 19, 2013
Failing to make an omelet hardly proves that omelets are illusory if nobody has been willing to break some eggs along the way.
Partition Skepticism and the Future of the Peace Process
Avner Inbar, Assaf Sharon
September 25, 2013
Even in healthier states experts warn that the improvement could be illusory.
States Battle for Business
CNBC
July 8, 2013
The reality is that it wiped out a lot of illusory gains and replaced them with a lot of illusory losses.
You Are a Terrible Investor and You Should Stop That
Megan McArdle
April 4, 2013
The Bush Doctrine recognized the pitfalls of condoning authoritarian governance in exchange for an illusory promise of stability.
Was the Iraq War Worth It?
Justin Green
March 20, 2013

Historical Examples

It may be remote, it may be hidden by centuries of illusory nationality, but it must be there.
Mountain Meditations
L. Lind-af-Hageby
The fog was making the kind of dimness that has a curious, illusory character.
The Million-Dollar Suitcase
Alice MacGowan
The illusory connection of some insipid narrative is only delusive.
The Aural System
Anonymous
The curative effect on bodily disabilities is thus often an illusory one.
Psychotherapy
Hugo Mnsterberg
Its garments too glistened so much the brighter with an illusory magnificence.
Short Stories of Various Types
Various

British Dictionary definitions for illusory

illusory

illusive (ɪˈluːsɪv)

adjective

producing, produced by, or based on illusion; deceptive or unreal

Derived Formsillusorily or illusively, adverbillusoriness or illusiveness, noun

usage

Illusive is sometimes wrongly used where elusive is meant: they fought hard, but victory remained elusive (not illusive)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for illusory

adj.

1590s, from French illusorie, from Late Latin illusorius "ironical, of a mocking character," from illus-, past participle stem of Latin illudere "mock at," literally "to play with," from assimilated form of in- "at, upon" (see in- (2)) + ludere "to play" (see ludicrous).

illusory

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}illusory

Synonyms

Examples from the Web for illusory

Contemporary Examples

We still seem driven by hype, by illusory health scares and benefits, by pomp, by the new and trendy, than by taste.

Failing to make an omelet hardly proves that omelets are illusory if nobody has been willing to break some eggs along the way.

Even in healthier states experts warn that the improvement could be illusory.

The reality is that it wiped out a lot of illusory gains and replaced them with a lot of illusory losses.

The Bush Doctrine recognized the pitfalls of condoning authoritarian governance in exchange for an illusory promise of stability.

Historical Examples

It may be remote, it may be hidden by centuries of illusory nationality, but it must be there.

The fog was making the kind of dimness that has a curious, illusory character.

The illusory connection of some insipid narrative is only delusive.

The curative effect on bodily disabilities is thus often an illusory one.

Its garments too glistened so much the brighter with an illusory magnificence.

illusory

illusive (ɪˈluːsɪv)

usage

Word Origin and History for illusory

adj.

Origin of illusory