trompe-l'oeil

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.

“Labyrinth” is fortified with trompe l’oeil wonders, but none are as powerful as a dream sequence resulting from Sarah lapsing into a hallucination after she bites into an enchanted peach.

From Salon • Jan. 24, 2026

In contrast, David renders with trompe l’oeil precision the wood grain of the cheap crate that Marat was using as a table beside his tub.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 29, 2025

I may sound cynical, but I couldn’t help but balk at that sense of trompe l’oeil profundity, beautifully rendered but fundamentally unchallenging.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 15, 2024

The Plains of Yonder team looked at 16th century art and trompe l’oeil paintings to establish the imaginative visuals that mix the “sacred with the profane.”

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 21, 2023

He was awake, lying spread-eagle in his big platform bed, looking up at the trompe l’oeil painting of a domed and gilded ceiling that was open at the center to a pink sky.

From "Confessions of a Murder Suspect" by James Patterson