delusion

noun

de·lu·sion | \ di-ˈlü-zhən

, dē-\

Definition of delusion

1a : something that is falsely or delusively believed or propagated under the delusion that they will finish on schedule delusions of grandeur

b psychology : a persistent false psychotic belief regarding the self or persons or objects outside the self that is maintained despite indisputable evidence to the contrary the delusion that someone was out to hurt him also : the abnormal state marked by such beliefs

2 : the act of tricking or deceiving someone : the state of being deluded … accused the Bohemian of having practised the most abominable arts of delusion among the younger brethren.— Walter Scott

Other Words from delusion Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about delusion

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Other Words from delusion

delusional \ di-ˈlüzh-nəl

, dē- , -ˈlü-zhə-nᵊl \ adjective

delusionary \ di-ˈlü-zhə-ˌner-ē

, dē- \ adjective

Choose the Right Synonym for delusion

delusion, illusion, hallucination, mirage mean something that is believed to be true or real but that is actually false or unreal. delusion implies an inability to distinguish between what is real and what only seems to be real, often as the result of a disordered state of mind. delusions of persecution illusion implies a false ascribing of reality based on what one sees or imagines. an illusion of safety hallucination implies impressions that are the product of disordered senses, as because of mental illness or drugs. suffered from terrifying hallucinations mirage in its extended sense applies to an illusory vision, dream, hope, or aim. claimed a balanced budget is a mirage

Examples of delusion in a Sentence

He has delusions about how much money he can make at that job. He is living under the delusion that he is incapable of making mistakes. She is under the delusion that we will finish on time. As the illness progressed, his delusions took over and he had violent outbursts.

Recent Examples on the Web

Of course, one man's dream is another man’s delusion. — NBC News, "They're telling us there's a chance: Why the debate nonqualifiers won't quit (yet)," 12 Sep. 2019 To the intelligentsia, Gladwell’s an oversimplifier on his very best day; on his worst, a conspiracy-theorizing spinner of mass delusion. — Wired, "The Lovability of Malcolm Gladwell: A Gladwellian Analysis," 9 Sep. 2019 To make matters worse, as Ann Killion notes, the Raiders are not an ideal landing spot for a dysfunctional player who harbors delusions of grandeur. — Jen Thomas, SFChronicle.com, "Bay Briefing: Inside the Ghost Ship trial verdict," 6 Sep. 2019 The Negro has been the victim of delusion ever since the Civil War. — Ian Frazier, The New Yorker, "When W. E. B. Du Bois Made a Laughingstock of a White Supremacist," 19 Aug. 2019 The book, out this week, traces Kalanick’s trajectory from floundering startup founder to the envy of Silicon Valley to the epitome of tech evil, and with him a decade of excess and self-delusion. — Wired, "WIRED Book of the Month: Super Pumped by Mike Isaac," 3 Sep. 2019 At that point, the U.K. was on the verge of crashing out of the E.U. without basic rules in place, having treated the world to a spectacular display of self-delusion and parliamentary dysfunction. — Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, "Boris Johnson’s Parliamentary Runaround," 30 Aug. 2019 Mann, who’s played high-strung moms in many of Apatow’s movies, gives a deft and witty performance that smartly morphs from self-delusion to self-acceptance. — David Sims, The Atlantic, "Blockers Is an R-Rated Prom-Night Comedy With Heart," 6 Apr. 2018 Teenage use of the drug is associated with declines in intelligence and mental function that persist into adulthood, according to some studies, and marijuana has been linked to psychosis, which can include hallucinations and delusions. — Arman Azad, CNN, "Vaping linked to marijuana use in young people, research says," 12 Aug. 2019

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

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Dictionary Entries near delusion

deluginous

de lunatico inquirendo

Statistics for delusion

Last Updated

23 Sep 2019

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Time Traveler for delusion

The first known use of delusion was in the 15th century

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More Definitions for delusion

delusion

noun

English Language Learners Definition of delusion

: a belief that is not true : a false idea

: a false idea or belief that is caused by mental illness

See the full definition for delusion in the English Language Learners Dictionary

delusion

noun

de·lu·sion | \ di-ˈlü-zhən

Kids Definition of delusion

: a false belief that continues in spite of the facts “You might be laboring under the delusion that the entire … world is impressed with you …”— J. K. Rowling, Goblet of Fire

delusion

noun

de·lu·sion | \ di-ˈlü-zhən

Medical Definition of delusion

1a : the act of deluding : the state of being deluded

b : an abnormal mental state characterized by the occurrence of psychotic delusions

2 : a false belief regarding the self or persons or objects outside the self that persists despite the facts and occurs in some psychotic states — compare hallucination sense 1, illusion sense 2a