mirage

noun/mɪˈrɑʒ/

Frequency rank: #9,655 of 20,003 in the WORDED list (wordfreq data)

Meaning

An optical illusion caused by atmospheric conditions, often making distant objects or water appear visible where none exists.

Illustration for the English word “mirage”

Example sentence

The exhausted traveler thought he saw water in the desert, but it turned out to be only a heat-induced mirage.

Synonyms & related words

More words in ranks 9,601–9,700