illusory

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

/ ɪˈlu sə ri, -zə- /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR illusory ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

causing illusion; deceptive; misleading.

of the nature of an illusion; unreal.

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

illusionary, illusionism, illusionist, illusive, illusively, illusory, illust., illustrate, illustrated, illustration, illustrational

Origin of illusory

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

SYNONYMS FOR illusory

1 fallacious, specious, false.

2 imaginary; visionary, fancied.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR illusory ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

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

Can be confused

elusive illusory

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for illusory

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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
Even in healthier states experts warn that the improvement could be illusory.
States Battle for Business|CNBC|July 8, 2013|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST

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|DAILY BEAST
Negotiations destined to be as spectral and fleeting as the campaign had been illusory now began.
The Life of John of Barneveld, 1609-15, Volume I.|John Lothrop Motley
Either they are altogether empty and illusory, or such unlimited validity must be granted to them.
A Commentary to Kant's 'Critique of Pure Reason'|Norman Kemp Smith
One could easily take it to be a yard or so long, so illusory and deceptive are our impressions.
Thunder and Lightning|Camille Flammarion
Its speculation can no longer be stigmatized as vaticination in vacuo, nor its results as illusory.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 16, Slice 8|Various
This we cannot determine till we have investigated the nature and origin of illusory error.
Illusions|James Sully

British Dictionary definitions for illusory

illusory

illusive (ɪˈluːsɪv)

/ (ɪˈluːsərɪ) /

adjective

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

Derived Forms

illusorily 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