hallucination

noun

hal·lu·ci·na·tion | \ hə-ˌlü-sə-ˈnā-shən

Definition of hallucination

1a : perception of objects with no reality usually arising from disorder of the nervous system or in response to drugs (such as LSD) was having hallucinations

b : the object so perceived wasn't sure if the rain was real or a hallucination

2 : an unfounded or mistaken impression or notion : delusion

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about hallucination

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Choose the Right Synonym for hallucination

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 hallucination in a Sentence

He could not tell if what he was seeing was real or if it was a hallucination. He has been having hallucinations due to the medication.

Recent Examples on the Web

Certain symptoms, such as feeling agitated and having hallucinations, usually go away within days of starting an antipsychotic medication. — Kasandra Brabaw, SELF, "7 Myths You Might Believe About Antipsychotic Medications," 7 Dec. 2018 Of course, the audience knows this is all a hallucination and that Nell is actually dancing away to her doom. — Alex Abad-santos, Vox, "How Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House uses color to underscore its horror," 26 Oct. 2018 Exhibitions are on semi-annual rotation: The current show has 40 paper works of Kusama's hallucinations and runs through August 31; the next will focus on plants. — Meredith Carey, Condé Nast Traveler, "Where to See Yayoi Kusama's Art Across the U.S.," 27 July 2018 Someone experiencing psychosis has difficulty understanding what is real and usually experiences delusions (false beliefs) and hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there). — Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, "9 Things You Should Know About Taking Antipsychotic Drugs," 7 Dec. 2018 Two currents are constantly crossing in the stories, the first depicting the polite forms of public interactions and the second pulsing with taboo fantasies and hallucinations. — Sam Sacks, WSJ, "Fiction: The Union of Death and Desire," 22 Nov. 2018 Betty brings up seeing Polly’s twins dropped into the fire and Alice and Polly write that off as a hallucination. — Jessica Macleish, Teen Vogue, ""Riverdale" Recap Season 3 Episode 2: Betty and Jughead Have a New Mystery to Solve," 18 Oct. 2018 There's a difference between a vision and a hallucination, and time will tell with Tubbs. — Steve Lopez, latimes.com, "Stockton's young mayor has bold turnaround plan: Basic income and stipends for potential shooters," 27 May 2018 His fever was soaring, and he was curled up in the corner experiencing what seemed like hallucinations, babbling incoherently. — Lindsey Vehlewald, SELF, "We Never Got Flu Shots. Then the Flu Almost Killed My Husband," 9 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hallucination.' 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 hallucination

Statistics for hallucination

Last Updated

21 Feb 2019

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Time Traveler for hallucination

The first known use of hallucination was in 1629

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More Definitions for hallucination

hallucination

noun

English Language Learners Definition of hallucination

: something (such as an image, a sound, or a smell) that seems real but does not really exist and that is usually caused by mental illness or the effect of a drug

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

hallucination

noun

hal·lu·ci·na·tion | \ hə-ˌlü-sə-ˈnā-shən

Kids Definition of hallucination

: the seeing of objects or the experiencing of feelings that are not real but are usually the result of mental disorder or the effect of a drug

hallucination

noun

hal·lu·ci·na·tion | \ hə-ˌlüs-ᵊn-ˈā-shən

Medical Definition of hallucination

1 : a perception of something (as a visual image or a sound) with no external cause usually arising from a disorder of the nervous system (as in delirium tremens or in functional psychosis without known neurological disease) or in response to drugs (as LSD) — compare delusion sense 2, illusion sense 2a

2 : the object of a hallucinatory perception