mirage

noun

mi·​rage mə-ˈräzh How to pronounce mirage (audio)
1
: an optical (see optical sense 2a) effect that is sometimes seen at sea, in the desert, or over a hot pavement, that may have the appearance of a pool of water or a mirror in which distant objects are seen inverted, and that is caused by the bending or reflection of rays of light by a layer of heated air of varying density
2
: something illusory and unattainable like a mirage
A peaceful solution proved to be a mirage.

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Mirage and Vision

Mirage comes from the French verb mirer ("to look at"), which is related to mirror. Mirer, itself, is from Latin mīrārī ("to wonder at"), the ancestor of the commonly seen admire, miracle, and marvel.

Choose the Right Synonym for mirage

delusion, illusion, hallucination, mirage mean something that is believed to be true or real but that is actually false or unreal.

delusion implies an inability to distinguish between what is real and what only seems to be real, often as the result of a disordered state of mind.

delusions of persecution

illusion implies a false ascribing of reality based on what one sees or imagines.

an illusion of safety

hallucination implies impressions that are the product of disordered senses, as because of mental illness or drugs.

suffered from terrifying hallucinations

mirage in its extended sense applies to an illusory vision, dream, hope, or aim.

claimed a balanced budget is a mirage

Examples of mirage in a Sentence

A peaceful solution proved to be a mirage.
Recent Examples on the Web Then, like a mirage, the coyote disappeared back into the desert. Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2024 Finally, her house shimmered before her like a mirage. Addie Citchens, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2024 Standing at the forest line, like a mirage, were two fawns. Kate Brody, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2024 Has the Warriors’ recent run been real or a mirage? Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2024 Effect on the poor The effects of this pricing mirage is most felt by students from low-income families. Paige Hagy, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2023 Jackson’s three-sack effort in Week 1 was a mirage and a midseason knee injury ended his year. Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 22 Feb. 2024 Estes deftly marries the warp of sharp outlines to the weft of the wobbly mirage. Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2023 Christie’s entire conceit is a fiction, a figment, a mirage — that is, a lie. Varad Mehta, Washington Examiner, 28 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mirage.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, from mirer "to look at, gaze at" (going back to Old French, going back to Latin mīrārī "to be surprised, look with wonder at") + -age -age — more at admire

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mirage was in 1800

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Dictionary Entries Near mirage

Cite this Entry

“Mirage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mirage. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mirage

noun
mi·​rage mə-ˈräzh How to pronounce mirage (audio)
: an illusion that gives the appearance of a pool of water or a mirror in which distant objects are seen inverted, that is sometimes seen at sea, in the desert, or over a hot pavement, and that is caused by the bending or reflection of light passing through layers of air having different temperatures

Medical Definition

mirage

noun
mi·​rage mə-ˈräzh How to pronounce mirage (audio)
: an optical effect that is sometimes seen at sea, in the desert, or over a hot pavement, that may have the appearance of a pool of water or a mirror in which distant objects are seen inverted, and that is caused by the bending or reflection of rays of light by a layer of heated air of varying density
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