as in references
a statement that refers to something without mentioning it directly
The lyrics contain biblical allusions.
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Recent Examples of allusions
Meis moves from the Baroque virtuosity of Rubens’s study of a drunken mythological figure, through the jagged modernist puzzle of Marc’s allegorical animals, to Mitchell’s painterly abstractions and their flickering landscape allusions.
—
Jed Perl, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
And those songs trudge, Tom Waits-like, only to unwind, long and dense, full of allusions to history and Greek myth and film noir and pop culture and mentors and friends, plus death and apocalypse.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
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
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
The prose is dotted with allusions to the works of Joseph Conrad, Jorge Luis Borges, and Bob Dylan, to name a few.
—Taran Dugal, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026
But there were, nonetheless, plenty of fringes, beaded embellishments and allusions to the jazz age on the red carpet at LA’s Shrine Auditorium.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026
Do the allusions and shout-outs to current events and personalities seem a little too close for comfort?
—Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
And posts with allusions to extremism have popped up on occasion in individual department or agency feeds, especially at DHS, which oversees both Customs and Border Protection and ICE.
—Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 21 Jan. 2026
Jed Perl, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
And those songs trudge, Tom Waits-like, only to unwind, long and dense, full of allusions to history and Greek myth and film noir and pop culture and mentors and friends, plus death and apocalypse.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
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
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
The prose is dotted with allusions to the works of Joseph Conrad, Jorge Luis Borges, and Bob Dylan, to name a few.
—Taran Dugal, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026
But there were, nonetheless, plenty of fringes, beaded embellishments and allusions to the jazz age on the red carpet at LA’s Shrine Auditorium.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026
Do the allusions and shout-outs to current events and personalities seem a little too close for comfort?
—Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
And posts with allusions to extremism have popped up on occasion in individual department or agency feeds, especially at DHS, which oversees both Customs and Border Protection and ICE.
—Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 21 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for allusions
Noun
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No matter your attachment style, listeners will latch onto Kehlani for its nostalgic references, impressive vocal arrangements, pitch-perfect collaborations, and refreshing perspectives on relationships.—
Adelle Platon,
VIBE.com,
27 Apr. 2026
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While many credit a famous 1977 MLB moment between Dusty Baker and Glenn Burke, multiple competing stories and cultural references have emerged over time.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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If they do get relegated this season, the implications will be sizeable.—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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But the Strait of Malacca would have much wider implications from a cargo trade standpoint, with the Ports of Singapore and Malaysia’s Tanjung Pelepas sitting at the channel’s southern entrance.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Allusions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allusions. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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