Appearance vs. Illusion — What's the Difference?

The way that someone or something looks

An illusion is a distortion of the senses, which can reveal how the human brain normally organizes and interprets sensory stimulation. Although illusions distort our perception of reality, they are generally shared by most people.Illusions may occur with any of the human senses, but visual illusions (optical illusions) are the best-known and understood.

An act of performing or participating in a public event

An erroneous perception of reality

An act of arriving or becoming visible

An erroneous concept or belief

The act or an instance of coming into sight.

The condition of being deceived by a false perception or belief

The act or an instance of coming into public view

Something that is erroneously perceived or construed

Outward aspect

A fine transparent net fabric, used for dresses or trimmings.

Something that appears; a phenomenon.

(countable) Anything that seems to be something that it is not.

A superficial aspect; a semblance

(countable) A misapprehension; a belief in something that is in fact not true.

Appearances Outward indications; circumstances

(countable) A magician’s trick.

The act of appearing or coming into sight; the act of becoming visible to the eye.

(uncountable) The state of being deceived or misled.

A thing seen; a phenomenon; an apparition.

An unreal image presented to the bodily or mental vision; a deceptive appearance; a false show; mockery; hallucination.

The way something looks; personal presence

Hence: Anything agreeably fascinating and charming; enchantment; witchery; glamour.

Apparent likeness; the way which something or someone appears to others.

A sensation originated by some external object, but so modified as in any way to lead to an erroneous perception; as when the rolling of a wagon is mistaken for thunder.

That which is not substance, essence, hypostasis; the outward reality as opposed to the underlying reality

A plain, delicate lace, usually of silk, used for veils, scarfs, dresses, etc.

The act of appearing in a particular place, or in society, a company, or any proceedings; a coming before the public in a particular character.

An erroneous mental representation

(legal) An instance of someone coming into a court of law to be part of a trial, either in person or represented by an attorney or such like; a court appearance

Something many people believe that is false;

(medical) Chiefly used by nurses: the act of defecation by a patient.

The act of deluding; deception by creating illusory ideas

The act of appearing or coming into sight; the act of becoming visible to the eye; as, his sudden appearance surprised me.

An illusory feat; considered magical by naive observers

A thing seed; a phenomenon; a phase; an apparition; as, an appearance in the sky.

Personal presence; exhibition of the person; look; aspect; mien.

Semblance, or apparent likeness; external show. pl. Outward signs, or circumstances, fitted to make a particular impression or to determine the judgment as to the character of a person or a thing, an act or a state; as, appearances are against him.

The act of appearing in a particular place, or in society, a company, or any proceedings; a coming before the public in a particular character; as, a person makes his appearance as an historian, an artist, or an orator.

Probability; likelihood.

The coming into court of either of the parties; the being present in court; the coming into court of a party summoned in an action, either by himself or by his attorney, expressed by a formal entry by the proper officer to that effect; the act or proceeding by which a party proceeded against places himself before the court, and submits to its jurisdiction.

Outward or visible aspect of a person or thing

The event of coming into sight

Formal attendance (in court or at a hearing) of a party in an action

A mental representation;

The act of appearing in public view;

Pretending that something is the case in order to make a good impression;