illusory Hear it!

illusory Definition

il·lu·sory (i lo̵̅o̅sə rē, -zə-)

adjective

producing, based on, or having the nature of, illusion; deceptive; unreal; illusive

illusory Related Forms

il·lu·so·rily adverb il·lu·so·ri·ness noun

illusory Synonyms

illusory

modif.

illusory Law Definition

adj

Deceptive or insubstantial. 
illusory promise
A promise to do something that is unenforceable or meaningless because the promisor has means of avoiding the commitment.

illusory Usage Examples

Modifying Another Word

  • largely: By the 1960s, however, these expectations had proved largely illusory.
  • somewhat: That, he said, would be " somewhat illusory.
  • entirely: Otherwise, any apparent effect may prove to be entirely illusory.
  • not: There's no gravity, but they do refer to real space, not illusory space.
  • often: Except that this insulation, this security, is often illusory.
  • merely: Of course, there are those who claim that digital offers no real step change and that this concept of choice is merely illusory.

Infinitive complement

  • think: It is illusory to think people will have a sense of duty or loyalty to their local church.
  • assume: But then it is, perhaps, illusory to assume that any kind of permanence can be achieved in international politics.

Modifies a noun

  • contour: A note on a second stage in the formation of illusory contours.
  • nature: Both sides learn a hard lesson about the illusory nature of online privacy.
  • sense: In such a way an illusory sense of uniformity is maintained.
  • security: Furthermore, readers should consider the effects of illusory security which may be inherent with a protected subsystem.
  • world: All of these ways of thinking belong to the illusory world of duality.
  • space: There's no gravity, but they do refer to real space, not illusory space.

Used with adjective complement

  • prove: By the 1960s, however, these expectations had proved largely illusory.
  • seem: Tulip had also just seen what had happened yet it seemed so illusory.
  • become: If workers are prevented from so doing the freedom to belong to a trade union becomes illusory ' .
  • render: Many of these would be meaningless unless the Allianz construction were adopted because the apparent cover for partial loss would otherwise be rendered illusory.
  • appear: Elsewhere, as in Egypt and Algeria, the advent of an Islamic order never came to pass and appeared illusory.
  • remain: While the benefits of GM crops remain illusory, the success and benefits of ecological, natural farming systems are well documented.