delirious

adjective

de·​lir·​i·​ous di-ˈlir-ē-əs How to pronounce delirious (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of delirium
delirious mutterings
2
: affected with or marked by delirium
delirious with fever
delirious fans
deliriously adverb
deliriousness noun

Examples of delirious in a Sentence

As the child's temperature went up, he became delirious and didn't know where he was. He was delirious with fever. a group of delirious fans celebrating the team's victory
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.
Her new home is a castle, and these new surroundings stoke her delirious fantasies of marrying local nobleman Prince Julian (Isac Calmroth), poet and heartthrob. Damon Wise, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2025 All the nervous energy that had built up at American Airlines Center was released in a burst of delirious joy. Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025 Absurd and even delirious accusations were thrown at me, which deeply hurt my spirit. Hilary Lewis, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2025 By that point the artist was far from Paris, in retreat from the Revolution, and the new paintings have a fleet, delirious, shut-in feel as if produced in a fever. Holland Cotter, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for delirious

Word History

Etymology

see delirium

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of delirious was in 1599

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Delirious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delirious. Accessed 5 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

delirious

adjective
de·​lir·​i·​ous di-ˈlir-ē-əs How to pronounce delirious (audio)
1
: affected with, marked by, or characteristic of delirium
2
: wildly excited
delirious fans
deliriously adverb
deliriousness noun

Medical Definition

delirious

adjective
de·​lir·​i·​ous di-ˈlir-ē-əs How to pronounce delirious (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of delirium
2
: affected with or marked by delirium
deliriously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on delirious

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!