C2nounformallanguagearts
US/əˈluː.ʒən/
UK/əˈluː.ʒən/
something said or written that refers to a person, event or text without naming it directly
In context
The song title is an allusion to a famous Trinh Cong Son ballad.
The novel is full of allusions to Greek myths.
He made a brief allusion to his illness but did not explain.
Words that go with allusion
noun + preposition
- allusion toThe ad makes a clever allusion to a classic film.
verb + noun
- make an allusionThe speaker made an allusion to the recent protests.
adjective + noun
- literary allusionHer essays are rich in literary allusion.
- veiled allusionThe joke was a veiled allusion to the boss.
- clear allusionThe title is a clear allusion to Shakespeare.