Illusive vs Ostensible - What's the difference?
illusive | ostensible | Related terms |
Subject to or pertaining to an illusion , often used in the sense of an unrealistic expectation or an unreachable goal or outcome.
*
Apparent, evident; meant for open display.
* 1956–1960 , (second edition, 1960), chapter ii: “Motives and Motivation”, page 32:
* '>citation
Appearing as such; being such in appearance; professed, supposed (rather than demonstrably true or real).
Illusive is a related term of ostensible.
As adjectives the difference between illusive and ostensible
is that illusive is subject to or pertaining to an illusion , often used in the sense of an unrealistic expectation or an unreachable goal or outcome while ostensible is apparent, evident; meant for open display.illusive
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- Testing software completely is an illusive goal.
- he could not catch the illusive thing that had sadly perplexed as well as elevated his spirit.
Usage notes
* Often confused with elusive.Synonyms
* (pertaining to an illusion) illusoryDerived terms
* illusively * illusivenessostensible
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- Motives, of course, may be mixed; but this only means that a man aims at a variety of goals by means of the same course of action. Similarly a man may have a strong motive or a weak one, an ulterior motive or an ostensible one.
- In witch-trials the conflict was officially defined as between the accused and God, or between the accused and the Catholic (later Protestant) church, as God's earthly representative. [...]
Behind the ostensible conflict of the witch-trial lay the usual conflicts of social class, values, and human relationships.
- The ostensible reason for his visit to New York was to see his mother, but the real reason was to get to the Yankees game the next day.