hallucinate

verb

hal·​lu·​ci·​nate hə-ˈlü-sə-ˌnāt How to pronounce hallucinate (audio)
hallucinated; hallucinating
Synonyms of hallucinatenext

transitive verb

1
: to affect with visions or imaginary perceptions
2
: to perceive or experience as a hallucination
hallucinator noun

Examples of hallucinate in a Sentence

The patient may hallucinate if she has a fever.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Most notably, the line is crossed when AI hallucinates facts or strips away human voice. Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 11 May 2026 That number is quite low, Topaz and others said, but more worrisome is the fact that hallucinated citations are becoming more common. Anil Oza, STAT, 7 May 2026 You’ve been known to hallucinate, make mistakes and sometimes spread misinformation. Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 1 May 2026 While offering a musical analysis for fart sound effects may sound like a harmless gag, the tech’s tendency to hallucinate and mislead could have far more serious consequences as well. Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hallucinate

Word History

Etymology

Latin hallucinatus, past participle of hallucinari, allucinari to prate, dream, modification of Greek alyein to be distressed, to wander

First Known Use

circa 1834, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hallucinate was circa 1834

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hallucinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hallucinate. Accessed 15 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

hallucinate

verb
hal·​lu·​ci·​nate hə-ˈlüs-ə-ˌnāt How to pronounce hallucinate (audio)
hallucinated; hallucinating
: to have hallucinations or experience as a hallucination

Medical Definition

hallucinate

verb
hal·​lu·​ci·​nate hə-ˈlüs-ᵊn-ˌāt How to pronounce hallucinate (audio)
hallucinated; hallucinating

transitive verb

1
: to affect with visions or imaginary perceptions
the patient is not hallucinated
2
: to perceive or experience as a hallucination
may hallucinate monsters or attackersM. J. Horowitz

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