as in illusion
an image that tricks a person's vision
Some may dismiss what we witnessed that night as an optical illusion, but we firmly believe it was a UFO.
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Recent Examples of optical illusion
Both activities depended on legerdemain and made elaborate use of optical illusions.
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Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024
Perhaps the most impressive animation produced for the film is a chase in which Tack trails the thief through a palace filled with optical illusions.
—Tim Brinkhof, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2024
The bodycon look created a striking optical illusion with a green and blue floral print panel on the front that connected with a black fabric on its sides and back.
—Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 20 July 2024
Here Kottler references his gay identity with flat silhouettes, shadows and faceted reflections, dissolving physicality in optical illusions.
—Patricia Failing, ARTnews.com, 29 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for optical illusion 
Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024
Perhaps the most impressive animation produced for the film is a chase in which Tack trails the thief through a palace filled with optical illusions.
—Tim Brinkhof, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2024
The bodycon look created a striking optical illusion with a green and blue floral print panel on the front that connected with a black fabric on its sides and back.
—Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 20 July 2024
Here Kottler references his gay identity with flat silhouettes, shadows and faceted reflections, dissolving physicality in optical illusions.
—Patricia Failing, ARTnews.com, 29 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for optical illusion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for optical illusion
Noun
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This transit also encourages us to confront illusions and emotional blockages while cultivating a deeper connection with our intuition and creativity.Valerie Mesa, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024
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Given that environment, Trump advisers aren’t under any illusions.Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 1 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Part plan, part pipe dream, Lakers star LeBron James and oldest son Bronny became the first father and son to share an NBA court together — a milestone celebrating the elder James’ longevity and the younger James’ resilience.Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2024
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Evolving the critical network pipes that have been effectively delivering the cellular traffic at the heart of the mobile revolution into a new source of revenue for both carriers and equipment makers has been—pardon the pun—a pipe dream for some time.Bob O'Donnell, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024
Noun
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The lore goes that multiple apparitions haunt the area, including 16-year-old Frank Denvin, who fell head-first from a water slide into an empty cement tank in 1896, and two brothers who remain drawn to the dangerous currents.Shawna Chen, Axios, 30 Oct. 2024
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Just when Americans had all but forgotten about the senescent apparition haunting the Oval Office, Joe Biden wanders aimlessly in from the wings to remind the voting public of its resolve to usher him out of public life forever.Noah Rothman, National Review, 23 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near optical illusion
Cite this Entry
“Optical illusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/optical%20illusion. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
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