delirious

adjective

de·​lir·​i·​ous di-ˈlir-ē-əs 

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of delirium

delirious mutterings

2

: affected with or marked by delirium

delirious with fever

delirious fans

deliriously adverb

deliriousness noun

Synonyms of delirious

• agitated
• distraught
• frantic
• worried
• frightened

Examples of delirious in a Sentence

As the child's temperature went up, he became delirious and didn't know where he was.

He was delirious with fever.

a group of delirious fans celebrating the team's victory

Recent Examples on the Web

Especially at decibel-delirious Lumen Field in Seattle. —Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026

He is denied both the company of the living and the serenity of death, a lost, delirious soul who fails to anchor himself anywhere. —Amir Ahmadi Arian, The Dial, 15 Jan. 2026

These are the 2025 Bears, carrying their magic act into 2026 and starting their playoff story like this, with this kind of wild rally in front of a delirious and deserving home crowd. —The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026

Some of these skew toward the quirkier side, and a couple are blatant reaches (January wish lists are where our most delirious aspirations belong, after all). —Ava Wallace, Washington Post, 8 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see delirium

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for delirious

• imperious
• mysterious
• cereus
• nereus
• serious
• sirius
• deleterious

Kids Definition

delirious

adjective

de·​lir·​i·​ous di-ˈlir-ē-əs 

1

: affected with, marked by, or characteristic of delirium

2

: wildly excited

delirious fans

deliriously adverb

deliriousness noun

Medical Definition

delirious

adjective

de·​lir·​i·​ous di-ˈlir-ē-əs 

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of delirium

2

: affected with or marked by delirium

deliriously adverb