illusory safety

[/ɪˈluːsəri ˈseɪfti/]
noun phrasepl: illusory safeties
segurança ilusória
1. A false sense of security or protection that appears to exist but provides no actual protection or assurance against danger or harm
The gated community offered illusory safety, as crime rates remained high despite the barriers.
A comunidade fechada oferecia segurança ilusória, pois as taxas de criminalidade permaneciam altas apesar das barreiras.
2. A deceptive feeling of being protected or safe based on measures or circumstances that are ineffective or unreliable
Relying solely on antivirus software provides illusory safety in the digital age.
Depender apenas de software antivírus oferece segurança ilusória na era digital.
3. A situation where security measures create a misleading impression of protection without addressing underlying vulnerabilities
The new security cameras gave residents illusory safety while systematic problems remained unaddressed.
As novas câmeras de segurança deram aos moradores segurança ilusória enquanto os problemas sistemáticos permaneciam sem solução.
This phrase is commonly used in discussions about urban safety, cybersecurity, and public policy in both the United States and Brazil. In Brazilian Portuguese, it frequently appears in contexts discussing favela pacification programs, security infrastructure investments, and digital safety measures. The concept reflects modern anxieties about vulnerability despite visible security measures.
NYC Slang
fake safety, phony security
Synonyms / Sinônimos
false securityfalse sense of securitydeceptive safetyapparent safetypseudo-safety
Antonyms / Antônimos
genuine safetyreal securityactual protectiontrue safety

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
segurança ilusória
Standard translation widely used across Brazil
São Paulo
segurança enganosa
Alternative form, slightly more colloquial
Rio de Janeiro
falsa segurança
Shorter alternative commonly used in informal speech
Portugal
segurança ilusória
Same as Brazilian Portuguese; occasionally 'falsa segurança' in informal usage

Related Words

illusionfalse sensesecurity theatervulnerabilitydeceptionmirage

Related Idioms & Phrases

a false sense of security
security theater
putting a band-aid on a bullet wound
fool's paradise
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