confabulate

verb

kən-ˈfa-byə-ˌlāt How to pronounce confabulate (audio)
Definition of confabulatenext
as in to consult
to exchange viewpoints or seek advice for the purpose of finding a solution to a problem an Alzheimer's support group in which caregivers can confabulate as well as commiserate

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of confabulate The errant or confabulated information that AI tools can generate is often referred to as hallucinations. — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026 These failures occurred when the AI models confabulated successful operations and built subsequent actions on false premises, highlighting the risks of depending on AI assistants that can misinterpret file structures or fabricate data to hide their errors. — ArsTechnica, 10 Sep. 2025 See above for my attempt to confabulate a story linking the three random concepts of a cat, a fire engine and a chair. — Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 25 Oct. 2010
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confabulate
  1. consult
  2. confer
  3. discuss
  4. talk
Verb
  • The community services district worked with Environmental Science Associates to execute the requirement, including consulting with Native American tribal partners.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026
  • Families use them to consult doctors remotely, arrange transport to distant clinics, send photos of wounds and symptoms, ask relatives for money, document abuse and reach schooling that is no longer available in person to many girls and women.
    — Fatima Faizi, NPR, 10 July 2026
Definition of consult
Verb
  • The Department of Homeland Security spokesperson previously told The Times that a child attached to a parent’s immigration case does not lose the claim upon turning 18, but said that a pending asylum application doesn’t confer legal status.
    — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • The court’s majority rejected the argument that widespread use of the guns necessarily conferred constitutional protection.
    — Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026
Definition of confer
Verb
  • The official was granted anonymity to discuss the administration’s strategy ahead of al-Zaidi’s visit.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 July 2026
  • Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.
    — Mark Cooper, New York Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of discuss
Verb
  • The defendant also did not talk much about gender issues or LGBTQ rights, Twiggs said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 July 2026
  • Enjoy socializing and talking to people from different backgrounds.
    — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 10 July 2026
Definition of talk

Browse Nearby Words

confabs
confabulate
confabulated
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Confabulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confabulate. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of yaw

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All