as in to consult
to exchange viewpoints or seek advice for the purpose of finding a solution to a problem
an Alzheimer's support group in which caregivers can confabulate as well as commiserate
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Recent Examples of confabulate
These failures occurred when the AI models confabulated successful operations and built subsequent actions on false premises, highlighting the risks of depending on AI assistants that can misinterpret file structures or fabricate data to hide their errors.
—
ArsTechnica, 10 Sep. 2025
Consider Samuel and Miranda in their hotel’s breakfast area:
The personnel dressed in white jackets the next morning were busy confabulating and joking with one another while cheesy loud music was playing in the background.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2019
Then Michael confabulated much longer and more fruitfully.
—Josh Rottenberg, latimes.com, 9 Oct. 2017
Confabulation seems to be more frequent in the face of repeatedly unpacking a memory; in other words, someone like EpicJourneyMan, who regularly ordered children’s videos and watched them to find damaged tape, is more likely to confabulate a specific memory from that material.
—Caitlin Aamodt, Discover Magazine, 16 Feb. 2017
ArsTechnica, 10 Sep. 2025
Consider Samuel and Miranda in their hotel’s breakfast area:
The personnel dressed in white jackets the next morning were busy confabulating and joking with one another while cheesy loud music was playing in the background.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2019
Then Michael confabulated much longer and more fruitfully.
—Josh Rottenberg, latimes.com, 9 Oct. 2017
Confabulation seems to be more frequent in the face of repeatedly unpacking a memory; in other words, someone like EpicJourneyMan, who regularly ordered children’s videos and watched them to find damaged tape, is more likely to confabulate a specific memory from that material.
—Caitlin Aamodt, Discover Magazine, 16 Feb. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confabulate
Verb
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And in February, Venezuela's Communications Ministry posted an edited video online that showed drone footage of the building and said work on El Helicoide had begun after nearby residents were consulted.—
Manuel Rueda,
NPR,
20 Mar. 2026
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In the same way that the Romans saw the return of Halley’s Comet as a harbinger of cataclysmic change, maybe people in Hollywood should consult their local soothsayer when Valerie Cherish’s red wig appears on the horizon.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Trump has argued that the amendment, ratified in 1868, was intended to confer citizenship to the children of slaves.—
Angie Leventis Lourgos,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
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In their comments, industry groups, the Indoor Tanning Association and the American Suntanning Association, dispute the scientific evidence that exposure to UV radiation at a young age, including from tanning beds, confers greater risk.—
Will Stone,
NPR,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The proposal was not substantially different from one the two sides had already agreed on before the deaths sparked demands for more changes, according to a person granted anonymity to discuss the details, which have not been publicly released.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
25 Mar. 2026
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Merritt, who has represented clients including the family of Atatiana Jefferson, discussed the possibility of a lawsuit during a press conference in front of the Hurst City Hall on Tuesday.—
Elizabeth Campbell,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Miami Herald talked to 10 lawn care companies about how the change will affect their work.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2026
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When Sahelian countries tried to talk to their insurgents, France fiercely opposed it.—
Obi Anyadike,
semafor.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Confabulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confabulate. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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