an optical illusion in which atmospheric refraction by a layer of hot air distorts or inverts reflections of distant objects
"The shimmering river on the desert road was merely a mirage caused by atmospheric refraction inverting the reflection of the sky."
something illusory and unattainable
"The promise of easy wealth was merely a mirage, an illusion that vanished as soon as he tried to grasp it."
An optical phenomenon in which light is refracted through a layer of hot air close to the ground, often giving the illusion of a body of water.
"The thirsty traveler stopped his horse to drink from what turned out to be just a mirage shimmering on the endless desert floor."
In plain English: A mirage is an optical illusion that makes distant objects appear as if they are something else, like water on a hot road.
"The driver thought he saw water on the hot road, but it was just an illusion known as a mirage."
Usage: Mirage is strictly an uncountable noun and should not be pluralized; use "a series of mirages" rather than "mirages." Avoid using it metaphorically for any optical illusion, reserving the term specifically for heat-induced refraction phenomena.
To cause to appear as or like a mirage.
"The shimmering heat on the road made distant trees look like they were floating in mid-air, causing them to appear as if by magic."
In plain English: To create an illusion that tricks your eyes into seeing something that isn't really there.
"He mirrored his actions to win their trust, but they knew he was only miraging success without real effort."
The word entered English around 1812 directly from the French term mirage. It was borrowed without any changes to its original spelling or pronunciation.