confabulate

verb con·fab·u·late \ kən-ˈfa-byə-ˌlāt \

Examples: confabulate in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of confabulate

confabulated; confabulating

intransitive verb

1 : to talk informally : chat

2 : to hold a discussion : confer

3 : to fill in gaps in memory by fabrication

A major characteristic of brain-damaged patients is the tendency to confabulate—to hide and dissemble about their damage.
—Peter R. Breggin

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confabulation

play \kən-ˌfa-byə-ˈlā-shən\ noun

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confabulator

play \kən-ˈfa-byə-ˌlā-tər\ noun

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confabulatory

play \kən-ˈfa-byə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē\ adjective

confabulate was our Word of the Day on 12/07/2007. Hear the podcast!

Examples of confabulate in a Sentence

an Alzheimer's support group in which caregivers can confabulate as well as commiserate

Recent Examples of confabulate from the Web

Then Michael confabulated much longer and more fruitfully.

— josh rottenberg, latimes.com, "'Blade Runner 2049' writers Hampton Fancher and Michael Green on whether Deckard is a replicant and other mysteries," 9 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'confabulate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Confabulate is a fabulous word for making fantastic fabrications. Given the similarities in spelling and sound, you might guess that "confabulate" and "fabulous" come from the same root, and they do - the Latin fabula, which means "conversation, story." Another "fabula" descendant that continues to tell tales in English is "fable." All three words have long histories in English: "fable" first appeared in writing in the 14th century, and "fabulous" followed in the 15th. "Confabulate" is a relative newcomer, appearing at the beginning of the 1600s.