illusionary
Existing only seemingly
Illusionary means of, relating to, or characterized by illusion—something that deceives the senses or mind.
The word functions as a variant of illusory: illusionary effects, illusionary hopes.
Some usage guides prefer illusory, but illusionary appears regularly in both casual and formal contexts, particularly when describing visual tricks or deceptive appearances.
Not actual, or astonishing
- fabricatedInvented, not real
- fictitiousNot real, invented
- pseudoNot genuinely that thing
- fakeNot the real thing
simulated · artificial · ersatz · pretend · mock · imitation · counterfeit · phony
Perception without external cause
- apparitionVisible supernatural manifestation
- specterGhostly threatening presence
- phantomInsubstantial apparition
- ghostApparition of the dead
wraith · shade · vision · eidolon · phantasm · manifestation · materialization · haunting
Imaginary realm during slumber
- mythologyBody of traditional tales
- enchantmentMagical influence over someone
- fairylandEnchanted realm of sprites
- phantasmagoriaShifting sequence of illusions
wonderland · storybook · wizardry · sorcery · magical · otherworldly · surreal · hallucinatory
Atmospheric optical deception
- shimmerTremulous, wavering light
- refractionWave bending between media
- hologram3D image from light
- distortionTwisting from original state
afterimage · trompe l'oeil · anamorphic · perspective · parallax · stereoscopic · depth perception · moiré
Causing false beliefs
- trickeryDeliberate deception or fraud
- hoaxDeliberate deception for effect
- shamFraudulent imitation
- subterfugeDeliberate deception to conceal
duplicitous · guile · sleight · charlatan · disguise · feigned · bogus · masquerade
unreal
Not actual, or astonishing
- fabricatedInvented, not real
- fictitiousNot real, invented
- pseudoNot genuinely that thing
fake · simulated · artificial · ersatz · pretend · mock · imitation · counterfeit · phony · sham
hallucination
Perception without external cause
- apparitionVisible supernatural manifestation
- specterGhostly threatening presence
- phantomInsubstantial apparition
ghost · wraith · shade · vision · eidolon · phantasm · manifestation · materialization · haunting · spectral
dreamworld
Imaginary realm during slumber
- mythologyBody of traditional tales
- enchantmentMagical influence over someone
- fairylandEnchanted realm of sprites
phantasmagoria · wonderland · storybook · wizardry · sorcery · magical · otherworldly · surreal · hallucinatory · dreamlike
mirage
Atmospheric optical deception
- shimmerTremulous, wavering light
- refractionWave bending between media
- hologram3D image from light
distortion · afterimage · trompe l'oeil · anamorphic · perspective · parallax · stereoscopic · depth perception · moiré · blind spot
misleading
Causing false beliefs
subterfuge · duplicitous · guile · sleight · charlatan · disguise · feigned · bogus · masquerade · artifice
- imaginary stylesimaginary, fantasy, fantastical, dreamlike, dreamy
illusion, illustrate, illustration, delusion, illusory, illusions, illusive, illusionist, illustrative