illusory story

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "illusory story" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a narrative or tale that is deceptive or not based in reality. Example: "The film presented an illusory story that captivated the audience, but ultimately left them questioning the truth behind the plot."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The ripping away of the illusory story to reveal the real one was a psychological shock that then gave rise to more stories.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

(See, for example, Mele 2004, 2009) Perhaps more importantly, even if the experience as of governing one's action were illusory, the causal story of how we come to be mistaken would not address the conceptual issue addressed in this entry: what sort of self-relation is necessary and sufficient for governing ourselves?

SEP

As he suggested then, seeking closure for difficult family stories can be a futile and illusory quest.

The New York Times - Books

Freedom is illusory in his novel, and iniquity unbound by latitude, but he knows that the story of slavery is fundamentally the story of America, and he uses Cora's journey to observe our nation, from an upper-crust mixed-race family in Boston to a farming community in Indiana.

The New Yorker

The book's depth is utterly absorbing, its stories as real in their effect as they are illusory.

The Guardian - Books

December 16 , 1928Chicago, Illinois March 2 , 1982Santa Ana, California Philip K. Dick, in full Philip Kindred Dick (born December 16 , 1928 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. died March 2 , 1982 Santa Ana, California) American science-fiction writer whose novels and short stories often depict the psychological struggles of characters trapped in illusory environments.

Encyclopedia Britannica

This is even more likely to happen when all the stories we hear fit an expected pattern, a phenomenon psychologists call "illusory correlation".

The New York Times - Books

Had they done so, the story on Monday morning might have been that Obama's lead was largely illusory, and the race, too close to call.

Huffington Post

I prefer telling stories about real people rather than setting something up and capturing the illusory.

The Guardian - Arts

Benson remarked that Tara's story arc is significant within the episode, starting out with ecstasy but soon recognizing the illusory circumstances surrounding her bliss and that "life can't be perfect all the time".

Wikipedia

The stories that have emerged have been at turns celebratory and derisory, tender and brutal, painfully true and wildly illusory.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing stories, use "illusory" only for narratives designed to deceive.

Common error

Avoid using "illusory story" simply to describe a work of fiction. "Illusory" carries a connotation of deception; ensure the story actively creates a false impression or misleads its audience.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "illusory story" functions as an adjective-noun combination, where "illusory" modifies the noun "story". It describes a story that gives a false or deceptive impression, indicating something that appears real but isn't. As Ludwig AI tells us, it's deemed perfectly correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

10%

Encyclopedias

7%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "illusory story" is a grammatically correct adjective-noun combination used to describe a narrative that presents a deceptive or misleading impression. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is perfectly correct and safe to use. While not exceedingly common, it appears across various contexts, including news, media, and scientific discussions, to emphasize the falseness or deceptiveness of a narrative. When using the phrase, ensure the story is actively creating a false perception rather than merely being a work of imagination.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

false narrative

Emphasizes the untruthful nature of the story.

fictitious account

Highlights the made-up quality of the story.

deceptive tale

Focuses on the misleading aspect of the story.

unreal narrative

Stresses that the story is not based on reality.

fabricated story

Highlights that the story has been invented or constructed.

misleading narrative

Focuses on how the story leads someone to a wrong belief or conclusion.

imaginary tale

Emphasizes the fantasy element of the story.

chimerical narrative

Suggests the story is wildly fanciful or unrealistic.

specious account

Highlights that the story appears true but is actually false.

phantasmagorical tale

Implies the story is surreal and dreamlike.

FAQs

What does "illusory story" mean?

An "illusory story" refers to a narrative that creates a deceptive or misleading impression of reality. It appears genuine or truthful but is, in fact, false or unreal.

What can I say instead of "illusory story"?

You can use alternatives like "false narrative", "deceptive tale", or "fictitious account" depending on the context.

Is it correct to describe a dream as an "illusory story"?

While dreams can be unreal and deceptive, "illusory story" is not typically used to describe them. "Dreamlike sequence" or "surreal experience" might be more appropriate.

How does an "illusory story" differ from a simply 'imaginative' one?

While both are not real, an "illusory story" actively deceives or creates a false impression, while an imaginative story is simply a product of creativity without necessarily intending to mislead.