How to Use illusive in a Sentence

illusive

adjective
  • Safety and freedom are illusive in the land of the free, no matter how fast or far that train goes.
    — Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2021
  • New York City is the fashion hub of the United States, which is why girls from all over the country flock here to hunt for the illusive perfect prom dress.
    — Kelsey Stiegman, Seventeen, 29 Jan. 2019
  • As the experts have explained to Teen Vogue, hunting down that illusive right shade of red can be a little hard.
    — Lauren Rearick, Teen Vogue, 11 Oct. 2018
  • The illusive split ticket voter The eastern part of Ohio along the river used to be one of the regions that kept Ohio a Democratic state.
    — Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 6 Sep. 2024
  • But this year don't knock yourself out trying to find the illusive perfect Mother's Day gift.
    — Amanda Walker, AL.com, 8 May 2017
  • Now, thanks to Amazon Prime Day, the illusive perfect swimsuit also happens to be on sale for $19.
    — Lex Goodman, Forbes, 22 June 2021
  • Horror comedy is an illusive brand of humor, lots of hits and a ton of misses.
    — Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 29 Oct. 2023
  • Things may not come easily, and success may be illusive.
    — Courant Community, 3 July 2017
  • There are 6 colored light switches, and each one offers an illusive home upgrade.
    — Alyssa Fiorentino, House Beautiful, 27 July 2018
  • The black Plymouth hummed along the hot desert road with four good tires and much pavement to conquer, passing shepherds herding sheep towards an illusive oasis.
    — Birmingham Magazine, AL.com, 19 May 2017
  • Lifting the bronze award in third is none other than United's illusive teenage sensation Marcus Rashford, who's managed to clock 34.27km/h.
    — SI.com, 9 Sep. 2017
  • Over history, people have chased the illusive goal of living longer through pills, potions, and fountains of everlasting youth.
    — Liz Stinson, Allure, 18 Aug. 2020
  • The illusive fact of this initiative is that unlike the unicorns and merfolk that dot its website, recycling is a real and tangible way to help the environment.
    — Graham P. Johnson, Twin Cities, 27 Jan. 2024
  • In Church, several pews full of people are cropped into an oblique image that captures a moment in time, seizing an illusive memory.
    — John Zotos, Dallas News, 4 Nov. 2020
  • Howl, an illusive magic-user, takes over the cooking from Sophie, placing bacon in the pan and feeding egg shells to Calcifer, who happily munches away on the detritus.
    — Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 21 Dec. 2024
  • The care the wizard takes in cooking the simple breakfast, even making sure the fire is literally fed, instantly softens Sophie and the audience to the illusive character.
    — Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 21 Dec. 2024
  • For now though the illusive fast radio burst will continue to be a source of intrigue for astronomers and cosmologists who will continue waiting to find the answers of what lies between us and everything else.
    — Shannon Stirone, Discover Magazine, 17 Nov. 2016
  • Gonzaga, once pesky upstart and now Sweet 16 fixture, is still seeking that illusive first national title.
    — Eddie Timanus, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2022
  • Dreamy, illusive, and sentimental Neptune will be retrograde in Pisces from June 30 to December 6.
    — Lisa Stardust, refinery29.com, 27 Dec. 2022
  • Dreamy, illusive, and sentimental Neptune will be retrograde in Pisces from June 30 to December 6.
    — Lisa Stardust, refinery29.com, 4 Jan. 2023
  • Dreamy, illusive, and sentimental Neptune will be retrograde in Pisces from June 30 to December 6.
    — Lisa Stardust, refinery29.com, 4 Jan. 2023
  • These are songs of worry and longing, rapturous hymnals to the fortifying qualities of booze, and elegies for the illusive wisdom we’re told is supposed to come with maturation.
    — James Robins, Vulture, 1 May 2023
  • The paper also goes by @polkfishwrap on Facebook, but any mention of the history or etymology behind this name remains illusive.
    — Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2017
  • The paper also goes by @polkfishwrap on Facebook, but any mention of the history or etymology behind this name remains illusive.
    — Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2017
  • The paper also goes by @polkfishwrap on Facebook, but any mention of the history or etymology behind this name remains illusive.
    — Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2017
  • African American gestures can be quiet and illusive, or vibrant and confident.
    — Maya Phillips, The New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2019
  • This granular texture of the electroplated coating is, in my opinion, a key determining factor of the illusive beauty of silvered and gilded dials.
    — Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 13 May 2024
  • But Noihsaf is the illusive, Golidlocks-just right amalgamation of selective and delightful.
    — Erika Veurink, Vogue, 15 July 2022
  • Equatorial‘s goal, along with others empowered by this emergence, is to cultivate partnerships and foster the untapped Black consumer base, which many agree is due to coffee’s illusive history and lack of marketing and diversity in the space.
    — Danielle Bernabe, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2021
  • Happiness is often illusive, especially as the human mind is wired to judge and make comparisons, which often lead to jealousy or dissatisfaction.
    — Serenity Gibbons, Forbes, 4 Aug. 2022

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

Last Updated: