delude

verb de·lude \ di-ˈlüd , dē- \

Definition of delude

deluded; deluding

transitive verb

1 :to mislead the mind or judgment of :deceive, trick

… people he regards as deluded by the romantic idea that children somehow possess innate knowledge …
—Andrew Delbanco

… Hamilton apparently deluded himself, as the first Treasury secretary, into thinking his policies patriotic when their effect, Mr. Phillips says, was to put money into silken purses.
—Michael Knox Beran

2 obsolete

a :frustrate, disappoint

b :evade, elude

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deluder

noun

See delude defined for English-language learners

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Examples of delude in a Sentence

we deluded ourselves into thinking that the ice cream wouldn't affect our diet

Origin and Etymology of delude

Middle English, from Latin deludere, from de- + ludere to play — more at ludicrous

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First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

delude Synonyms

Synonyms

bamboozle, beguile, bluff, buffalo, burn, catch, con, cozen, deceive, dupe, fake out, fool, gaff, gammon, gull, have, have on [chiefly British], hoax, hoodwink, hornswoggle, humbug, juggle, misguide, misinform, mislead, snooker, snow, spoof, string along, sucker, suck in, take in, trick

Antonyms

undeceive

Related Words

kid, put on, tease; bleed, cheat, chisel, defraud, diddle, euchre, flam, fleece, gyp, hustle, mulct, rook, shortchange, skin, squeeze, stick, sting, swindle

Near Antonyms

debunk, expose, reveal, show up, uncloak, uncover, unmask; disclose, divulge, tell, unveil; disabuse, disenchant, disillusion

Synonym Discussion of delude

deceive, mislead, delude, beguile mean to lead astray or frustrate usually by underhandedness. deceive implies imposing a false idea or belief that causes ignorance, bewilderment, or helplessness.