Illusory

Giving a false impression; deceptive. Something illusory appears real or true but is not. It creates a mirage, a misleading or deceptive appearance, or a false perception of reality. It often involves misinterpretation of sensory information or wishful thinking. An illusory experience can be fleeting or persistent, but it always lacks a solid, verifiable basis in fact. It can affect our judgement of both tangible objects and intangible concepts such as happiness, love, or security.

Illusory meaning with examples

• The desert mirage was illusory, promising water where only sand existed; desperate travelers were led astray by its false promise of relief, ultimately finding only heat and disappointment.
• Achieving success, he found his initial happiness was illusory; the constant pressure and relentless competition stole his genuine joy, replacing it with anxious ambition.
• Her feelings of security were illusory; the company's financial situation was far more precarious than she realized, and layoffs were looming, threatening her livelihood.
• The politician's promises of economic reform proved illusory; the situation worsened, revealing his manipulative tactics, his deceit masked a deep-seated self-interest, harming the populace.