Synonym Chooser

How does the noun delusion contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of delusion are hallucination, illusion, and mirage. While all these words mean "something that is believed to be true or real but that is actually false or unreal," delusion implies an inability to distinguish between what is real and what only seems to be real, often as the result of a disordered state of mind.

delusions of persecution

When can hallucination be used instead of delusion?

While in some cases nearly identical to delusion, hallucination implies impressions that are the product of disordered senses, as because of mental illness or drugs.

suffered from terrifying hallucinations

Where would illusion be a reasonable alternative to delusion?

The synonyms illusion and delusion are sometimes interchangeable, but illusion implies a false ascribing of reality based on what one sees or imagines.

an illusion of safety

When is it sensible to use mirage instead of delusion?

The words mirage and delusion can be used in similar contexts, but mirage in its extended sense applies to an illusory vision, dream, hope, or aim.

claimed a balanced budget is a mirage

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 delusion Sometimes dysfunction in the brain can lead to mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, which is characterized by delusions and disordered thinking, among other symptoms, that can be debilitating. Jeanna Bryner, Scientific American, 18 Mar. 2025 Duerson, lost so deep in his delusion, can't tell the difference. EW.com, 16 Mar. 2025 Antipsychotic medications are commonly prescribed to reduce hallucinations, delusions, and other psychotic symptoms associated with schizophrenia. Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025 This usually includes medication (such as antipsychotics) to help control symptoms like delusions and hallucinations, and psychotherapy to provide support, education, and coping strategies. Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for delusion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for delusion
Noun
  • This city will never be the same, insofar as our sense of safety, our illusions of permanence and so on, are gone.
    Lorraine Berry, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Mat previously impressed judges on America’s Got Talent in 2014 with his magic, illusions and card tricks.
    Brian Anthony Hernandez, People.com, 20 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Entities magically endowed with life by the gods are not a rarity in Greek myth.
    Sofia Giannuzzi, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Apr. 2025
  • At the same time, the Health and Human Service Department, led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has stoked uncertainty and confusion among Americans whose suspicions grew during the pandemic about vaccines and what many scientists worry are myths about alternatives.
    Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 21 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • However, LeSean McCoy's Philadelphia Eagles gave K.C. nightmares and celebrated their dreams that came tr... NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2025
  • Readers in some sense rewrite a text, enlarging its scope through their imagination, creating a whole world by bringing into play their skills, their memory, their dreams and their personal history, with all its drama and symbolism.
    Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The law only allows schools to recognize changes made to birth certificates that were made to correct a clerical error.
    Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 2 May 2025
  • Last month, the Campaign Finance Board denied Cuomo’s request for nearly $3 million in public matching funds due to paperwork errors.
    Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 2 May 2025
Noun
  • Plus, that veil of fantasy keeps things from getting too serious.
    Anja Webb, Parents, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Notes on Riley Quick, Henry Ford, as well as some top names for 2026 Concerning fantasy baseball 2025 performances from Roki Sasaki, Cody Bellinger and more Zack Meisel is a senior writer for The Athletic covering the Cleveland Guardians and Major League Baseball.
    Zack Meisel, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The national folks who’ve hung on Hurley’s every word, delighted in each new superstition revealed, had flocked elsewhere.
    Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Closing Thoughts As Adam Smith observed, science is the antidote to enthusiasm and superstition — yet it must be wielded responsibly to avoid becoming poison itself.
    Jahan Marcu, Rolling Stone, 29 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • After all, strategy without execution is a daydream, but execution without strategy is a nightmare.
    Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • If your daydreams about jetting off on a European vacation keep getting thwarted by your budget and bank account, all hope isn’t lost.
    Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • This month will ask you to stay true to your vision while navigating outside obstacles with grace.
    Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 May 2025
  • At the very least, keep it out of your direct vision.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Delusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delusion. Accessed 5 May. 2025.

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