delirium
noun
de·lir·i·um
di-ˈlir-ē-əm 
1
: an acute (see acute sense 1a(2)) mental disturbance characterized by confused thinking and disrupted attention usually accompanied by disordered speech and hallucinations
2
: frenzied excitement
he would stride about his room in a delirium of joy—
Thomas Wolfe
Thomas Wolfea crowd in a state of delirium
Examples of delirium in a Sentence
In her delirium, nothing she said made any sense.
shoppers running around in a delirium the day before Christmas
Recent Examples on the Web
As many as three in ten older patients may acquire delirium in the hospital.
—Howard Gleckman, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
Initial symptoms are similar to the flu before progressing to neurological symptoms like delirium, anxiety and hydrophobia (fear of water), as well as physical signs like seizures.
—Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 24 July 2025
Amid the swirl of delirium and chaos following Everton’s 2-2 draw against Liverpool in February, one player embarked on an individual lap of honour.
—Adam Crafton, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
Like its previous iterations, The Naked Gun builds to a grand comic finale, though this one never quite achieves the climactic delirium of the original.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for delirium
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Howard Gleckman, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
Initial symptoms are similar to the flu before progressing to neurological symptoms like delirium, anxiety and hydrophobia (fear of water), as well as physical signs like seizures.
—Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 24 July 2025
Amid the swirl of delirium and chaos following Everton’s 2-2 draw against Liverpool in February, one player embarked on an individual lap of honour.
—Adam Crafton, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
Like its previous iterations, The Naked Gun builds to a grand comic finale, though this one never quite achieves the climactic delirium of the original.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for delirium
Cite this Entry
“Delirium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delirium. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
delirium
noun
de·lir·i·um
di-ˈlir-ē-əm
1
: a mental disturbance marked by confusion, disturbed speech, and hallucinations
2
: wild excitement
Medical Definition
delirium
noun
de·lir·i·um
di-ˈlir-ē-əm
: an acute (see acute sense 2b(1)) mental disturbance characterized by confused thinking and disrupted attention usually accompanied by disordered speech and hallucinations
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