optical illusion

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The saber-toothed cat that appears mirage-like through a window, an optical illusion known as a Pepper’s Ghost, doesn’t reflect modern knowledge of the animal’s anatomy.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026

It is actually something of an optical illusion — for the options are not getting more expensive in terms of price as the earnings date approaches, but are remaining the same.

From MarketWatch • May 14, 2026

By presenting Satan's fall as a violent physical event instead of a purely spiritual allegory or optical illusion, Dante may have helped move Western thought toward the idea that celestial objects can directly reshape Earth.

From Science Daily • May 11, 2026

Doing something your brain tells you is structurally impossible was like inhabiting an optical illusion and we all laughed as we scaled the multi-tiered falls with the occasional assistance of a tethered rope.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

Or that optical illusion with the staircases that never stop going upward.

From "P.S. I Miss You" by Jen Petro-Roy