illusory

Sometimes the clues are more cute than scary, such as the references to Heraclitus, the ancient Greek philosopher who asserted the illusory nature of reality.

The value of your securities is as illusory as the value of your people.

It is hard, however, to take seriously Mr. Putin’s threat that Tomahawks would destroy an illusory “emerging positive trend” in U.S.-Russian relations, or the Kremlin’s statement that they would be a “serious escalation.”

If it turns out progress was illusory we will at least have reacquainted ourselves with what optimism in the Mideast feels like—it feels energetic, like something that can get you through the next day.

The participants genuinely looked determined to work out compromises that only a few weeks ago appeared illusory.