illusory

American  

[ih-loo-suh-ree, -zuh-] / ɪˈlu sə ri, -zə- /

adjective

1. causing illusion; deceptive; misleading.

   Synonyms:

   false, specious, fallacious

2. of the nature of an illusion; unreal.

   Synonyms:

   fancied, visionary, imaginary

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illusory British  

/ ɪˈluːsərɪ, ɪˈluːsɪv /

adjective

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

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Usage

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

Other Word Forms

• illusorily adverb
• illusoriness noun
• unillusory adjective

Etymology

Origin of illusory

1590–1600; < Late Latin illūsōrius, equivalent to illūd ( ere ) to mock, ridicule ( illusion ) + -tōrius -tory ¹

Example Sentences

And these numbers are “nominal,” meaning they include the illusory gains that come from inflation.

From MarketWatch

Toner-Rodgers’s illusory success seems in part thanks to the dynamics he has now upset: an academic culture at MIT where high levels of trust, integrity and rigor are all—for better or worse—assumed.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sometimes the clues are more cute than scary, such as the references to Heraclitus, the ancient Greek philosopher who asserted the illusory nature of reality.

From The Wall Street Journal

All these subprime lending companies were growing so rapidly, and using such goofy accounting, that they could mask the fact that they had no real earnings, just illusory, accounting-driven, ones.

From Literature

If it turns out progress was illusory we will at least have reacquainted ourselves with what optimism in the Mideast feels like—it feels energetic, like something that can get you through the next day.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• false
• hallucinatory
• misleading
• unreal
• whimsical