mirage

noun

Definition of miragenext
as in daydream
something that comes from or exists only in the mind and is not real He thought he saw water up ahead but it was just a mirage.

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How does the noun mirage contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of mirage are delusion, hallucination, and illusion. While all these words mean "something that is believed to be true or real but that is actually false or unreal," mirage in its extended sense applies to an illusory vision, dream, hope, or aim.

claimed a balanced budget is a mirage

Where would delusion be a reasonable alternative to mirage?

The words delusion and mirage can be used in similar contexts, but delusion implies an inability to distinguish between what is real and what only seems to be real, often as the result of a disordered state of mind.

delusions of persecution

When could hallucination be used to replace mirage?

In some situations, the words hallucination and mirage are roughly equivalent. However, hallucination implies impressions that are the product of disordered senses, as because of mental illness or drugs.

suffered from terrifying hallucinations

When can illusion be used instead of mirage?

While the synonyms illusion and mirage are close in meaning, illusion implies a false ascribing of reality based on what one sees or imagines.

an illusion of safety

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mirage The sibling suggested that Kaufmann’s involvement in the film world was not a complete mirage. —Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 24 June 2025 Read the full Cancer Daily Horoscope Leo (July 23 - August 22) Watch for mirages on the road. —Usa Today, USA Today, 18 June 2025 Four types of green flashes are recorded in the Farmer’s Almanac, which the American periodical describes as inferior mirage, mock mirage, subduct flashes, and green ray. —Madison Dapcevich, Discover Magazine, 28 May 2025 But for finance, a realm of intricate regulations and specialized jargon, this approach is a dangerous mirage. —Dr. Vinay Nair, Founder and Ceo Of Tifin, CNBC, 10 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for mirage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mirage
  1. daydream
  2. dream
  3. illusion
Noun
  • The maid gazes out the window, her mouth slightly open, as if lost in boredom or a daydream.
    — Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 2 July 2025
  • For a home base that’s as inspiring as the journey itself, The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay rises from the cliffs like something out of a coastal daydream.
    — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Definition of daydream
Noun
  • Gellar's appearance comes first, during a creepy dream sequence.
    — Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 20 July 2025
  • The fun part about bringing back the character, Helen Shivers, for a nightmarish dream sequence is that the star who played her, Sarah Michelle Gellar, is also Prinze’s longtime wife.
    — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 20 July 2025
Definition of dream
Noun
  • Binaural beats are an auditory illusion created when two tones of slightly different frequencies are played separately into each ear at the same time.
    — Noma Nazish, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
  • The only way to have preserved its life in advance preparation would have been to give a harsh defensive clearcut to the pines that surrounded it, taking away the sound of wind through the branches and stripping the lodge of one of its best elements: the illusion of organic emergence.
    — Tom Zoellner, AZCentral.com, 25 July 2025
Definition of illusion

Browse Nearby Words

miraculous
mirage
mirages
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Cite this Entry

“Mirage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mirage. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on mirage

Nglish: Translation of mirage for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mirage

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