as in reference
a statement that refers to something without mentioning it directly
The lyrics contain biblical allusions.
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Recent Examples of allusion
Van Beirendonck gravitates toward loud prints in bright colors and allusions to BDSM, whereas Van Saene makes elegant cocktail dresses for women with bow details and shrunken cardigans.
—
Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 27 Mar. 2026
His words evoke the image of an animal slithering on the ground before growing—an allusion that was likely intended as a gardening pun about reptiles, argues classics scholar Rebecca Armstrong.
—Andrés Muedano, JSTOR Daily, 25 Mar. 2026
Plentiful other allusions suggest the wait may not be too painful; the long breadcrumb trail, sprinkled throughout 2025, gives the impression OR3 is just waiting to burst out of her.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 23 Mar. 2026
Speaking to the theatrical experience, Spielberg made a brief allusion to the flare-up around comments by Timothée Chalamet regarding the popularity of opera and ballet in relation to the movies.
—Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for allusion
Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 27 Mar. 2026
His words evoke the image of an animal slithering on the ground before growing—an allusion that was likely intended as a gardening pun about reptiles, argues classics scholar Rebecca Armstrong.
—Andrés Muedano, JSTOR Daily, 25 Mar. 2026
Plentiful other allusions suggest the wait may not be too painful; the long breadcrumb trail, sprinkled throughout 2025, gives the impression OR3 is just waiting to burst out of her.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 23 Mar. 2026
Speaking to the theatrical experience, Spielberg made a brief allusion to the flare-up around comments by Timothée Chalamet regarding the popularity of opera and ballet in relation to the movies.
—Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for allusion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for allusion
Noun
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Corso is a reference to [beat poet] Gregory Corso.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
1 May 2026
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The people currently in charge of creating the rules don’t sit in the driver’s seat, and real-life experience of how the cars feel and behave could be useful as another data point to reference.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Noun
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For The Times) Dollars and sensitivities The financial implications of the strike are difficult to calculate at this juncture, but the district doesn’t necessarily lose money.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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The erotic implications of vampiric temptation—and of glam-rock front men who generously offer to pierce an ear under the boardwalk—remain.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Allusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allusion. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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