hallucinatory

adjective

hal·​lu·​ci·​na·​to·​ry hə-ˈlü-sə-nə-ˌtȯr-ē 

-ˈlüs-nə-

1

: tending to produce hallucination

hallucinatory drugs

2

: resembling, involving, or being a hallucination

hallucinatory dreams

a hallucinatory figure

Examples of hallucinatory in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Harwicz’s novels are more hallucinatory than supernatural—but a more provocative distinction between her books and others in this semi-subgenre is that, for her characters, motherhood does not cause animal rage and instability so much as instantiate them. —Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2025

Earl Takefman has experienced AI’s hallucinatory tendencies firsthand. —Angela Yang, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2025

Tipping takes the notion of a spiral in football and runs with it, creating some of the film’s most hallucinatory effects in the process. —Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 22 Sep. 2025

Campaigns can be hallucinatory affairs, and this one was full of bizarre moments. —Chris Megerian, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hallucinatory

• adjudicatory
• anticipatory
• articulatory
• classificatory
• conciliatory
• congratulatory
• discriminatory
• ejaculatory
• emancipatory
• interlaboratory
• interrogatory
• investigatory

Kids Definition

hallucinatory

adjective

hal·​lu·​ci·​na·​to·​ry hə-ˈlü-sə-nə-ˌtōr-ē 

-ˌtȯr-

1

: tending to produce hallucinations

2

: resembling, involving, or being a hallucination

Medical Definition

hallucinatory

adjective

hal·​lu·​ci·​na·​to·​ry hə-ˈlüs-ᵊn-ə-ˌtōr-ē, -ˈlüs-nə-, -ˌtȯr- 

1

: tending to produce hallucinations

hallucinatory drugs

2

: resembling, involving, or being a hallucination

hallucinatory dreams

a hallucinatory figure

hallucinatorily

-ˌtōr-ə-lē, -ˌtȯr- 

adverb