How to pronounce illusion
Say it like il-OO-zhun. Illusion has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (OO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce illusion. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- il
- OO
- zhun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Illusion pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ilGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- OOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- zhunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of illusion
American and British speakers say illusion in essentially the same way: /ˌɪˈluʒən/ in the US and /ɪˈluːʒən/ in the UK.
British respelling: ih-LOO-zhun.
What does illusion mean?
- an erroneous mental representation
- something many people believe that is false“they have the illusion that I am very wealthy”
- the act of deluding; deception by creating illusory ideas
Where does illusion come from?
From Old French illusion, from Latin illūsiō, from illūdere, from in- (“at, upon”) + lūdere (“to play, mock, trick”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with illusion
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of illusion.
Questions about saying illusion
How do you pronounce illusion?
Say il-OO-zhun. The American pronunciation is /ˌɪˈluʒən/. In British English it is /ɪˈluːʒən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in illusion?
Illusion has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (OO). Broken into parts: il · OO · zhun.
Do Americans and Brits say illusion the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌɪˈluʒən/ and the British form is /ɪˈluːʒən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.