delude

verb de·lude \ di-ˈlüd , dē- \

|Updated on: 13 Jun 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: delude in a Sentence

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

—

deluder

noun

See delude defined for English-language learners

See delude defined for kids

Examples of delude in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of delude from the Web

Both the original settlers and those who, over the subsequent centuries, have quixotically tried to trace them seem equally deluded.

— The Economist, "The tale of the “Lost Colony” is a chronicle of delusion," 7 June 2018
The scandal was both a huge story and quickly faded from the public consciousness, almost like sports fans want to delude themselves into thinking that everything is always on the up and up.

— chris chase, For The Win, "11 biggest scandals in sports gambling history," 16 May 2018
As for Eleanor, Patrick’s mother (played by Jennifer Jason Leigh), the novels depict her, unforgivingly, as a monster of neglect and deluded self-pity.

— New York Times, "Benedict Cumberbatch Just Crossed the Last Role Off His Bucket List," 3 May 2018
And some, like Schneiderman, have deluded themselves into thinking this is all totally OK.

— chris cillizza, CNN, "Eric Schneiderman is the latest male politician to totally disappoint us," 8 May 2018
These earth signs would rather accept reality than delude themselves.

— aliza kelly faragher, Allure, "How Each Zodiac Sign Handles a Breakup," 11 Apr. 2018
Mediocre for a while, briefly pretty decent and then, for most of my adult life, awful, sprinkled with moments of fleeting brilliance that delude me into returning.

— tim layden, SI.com, "My First Time at Augusta National," 4 Apr. 2018
To this viewer, at least, this decision seemed like a bold rebuke to any man who ever deluded himself into thinking a woman reveling in her own sexuality was asking for it.

— New York Times, "The Invisible Man and the Defiant Woman go to the Oscars," 4 Mar. 2018
Steve Fraser thinks his fellow Americans grossly deluded on the subject, and has written his book to straighten us out.

— joseph epstein, WSJ, "‘Class Matters’ Review: The American Dream as Nightmare," 22 Mar. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of delude

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

delude Synonyms

Phrases

do a number on, lead one down the garden path (also lead one up the garden path), pull one's leg, pull the wool over one's eyes;

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.