1
as in agitated
feeling overwhelming fear or worry
we were delirious with anxiety when the boy failed to return home
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in frantic
marked by great and often stressful excitement or activity
rushing about in a delirious state during the holidays
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of delirious
Bloodshot synth figures and delirious vocal performances are presented at their most elemental, as Granli zeroes in on the intangible forces that can make music tweak your senses and sneak past conscious understanding.
—
H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 6 Feb. 2026
Cookie Fleck, O’Hara’s character in Best in Show, is an outstanding example of her comedic sensibility—a meld of physical comedy, deadpan affect, and delirious self-confidence—whose influence is all over the mock-interview segments of, say, Parks and Recreation.
—Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
By the game’s end, when Brentwood came back from an 11-point deficit to defeat rival Crossroads 70-60, the 6-foot-7 Hill was using all of his final energy to dance with the delirious student section that got loud and boisterous and helped inspire the Eagles’ rally.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
He is denied both the company of the living and the serenity of death, a lost, delirious soul who fails to anchor himself anywhere.
—Amir Ahmadi Arian, The Dial, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for delirious
H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 6 Feb. 2026
Cookie Fleck, O’Hara’s character in Best in Show, is an outstanding example of her comedic sensibility—a meld of physical comedy, deadpan affect, and delirious self-confidence—whose influence is all over the mock-interview segments of, say, Parks and Recreation.
—Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
By the game’s end, when Brentwood came back from an 11-point deficit to defeat rival Crossroads 70-60, the 6-foot-7 Hill was using all of his final energy to dance with the delirious student section that got loud and boisterous and helped inspire the Eagles’ rally.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
He is denied both the company of the living and the serenity of death, a lost, delirious soul who fails to anchor himself anywhere.
—Amir Ahmadi Arian, The Dial, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for delirious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for delirious
Adjective
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Marcee Gray, the defendant’s estranged wife who struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, testified their son was riddled with anxiety, easily agitated and had panic attacks.—
Maxime Tamsett,
CNN Money,
3 Mar. 2026
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Now the piano has something to play against, slinking, leaping, whipping, and swiveling like an agitated shark in a tank of impassive harmonies.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Put anybody on the spot and ask them to name something quickly, your brain just goes frantic.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
25 Feb. 2026
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In the few short months leading up to its wide release, the filmmakers behind Grey Gardens were in a frantic state of damage control.—
Rosemary Counter,
Vanity Fair,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The family of the victim is distraught.—
Conor Wight,
CBS News,
28 Feb. 2026
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Andrew was photographed in a car as he was being driven back to Wood Farm in Sandringham, looking extremely distraught.—
StyleCaster Editors,
StyleCaster,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Ricki Nash was so furious that Loone took out a restraining order on behalf of Mercury to keep him safe.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
28 Feb. 2026
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A whole lot of people in Hollywood are furious with the city’s Historic Preservation Board, which voted three weeks ago to grant a special zoning exception for a mikvah, a religious bathhouse for Jewish women, in a historic single-family residential neighborhood.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The Knicks have their backup center on a regimented resting plan, and because of that, people within the team don’t seem worried about the drop-off in Robinson’s defensive output thus far.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2026
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Sam the toucan has been living in Las Vegas since November, much to the concern of bird experts and enthusiasts who were worried about the exotic bird's health and his ability to survive long-term in a city with drastic weather changes.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In the 18th century, natural red fabric dyes made from Indian madder root and South American brazilwood were key to producing the pink fabrics that both men and women wore during the reign of King Louis XV.—
Adam Mansuroglu,
Robb Report,
28 Feb. 2026
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There was a mad scramble—people running in every direction, some tumbling over others.—
Anand Gopal,
New Yorker,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In a crisis, Tori puts those life-saving skills to use, transforming from a frightened and threatened young woman into a fierce warrior.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Feb. 2026
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Slowly round your back toward the ceiling, tucking your chin slightly and drawing your belly button in (like a frightened cat).—
Stephanie Anderson Witmer,
Health,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The mild meats and cheeses should be consumed first, with diners gradually moving on to the most intense ones so as to not overpower the more delicate flavors.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Feb. 2026
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As Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance nears one month, the intense focus on her case is drawing overdue attention to other missing person cases that have long gone unnoticed.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Delirious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delirious. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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