1
as in illusory
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2
as in delusionary
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Recent Examples of delusional
So many women who have gotten famous on Bravo did so by being mean, delusional, or mean and delusional, give or take a drinking problem.
—
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2025
Like, our delusional friend Hope is so positive.
—Shelby Wax, Vogue, 26 Sep. 2025
It has been mentioned in this space that expecting a young quarterback to lead a team there is nigh on delusional, and odd for a team that for the past two years has made a ton of good free-agent moves.
—John Shipley, Twin Cities, 22 Sep. 2025
But critics warned the cost estimates were far too low, construction deadlines were more delusional than optimistic, and that promised multibillion-dollar investments by private firms would never emerge because state law barred investors from public subsidies if train operations lost money.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2025
For some of us long-suffering fans, football inspires less Messianic zeal than an annual reminder that this is a dark and cruel world and any delusional preseason hope will be quickly and thoroughly snuffed out.
—Jake Coyle, Boston Herald, 19 Sep. 2025
Ibsen here paints one of his most beautiful (and strange) portraits of a delusional but deeply loving household.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
This is absolutely delusional and nauseating.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
An expert called by Bixby's lawyers said the isolation of prison has only made his beliefs more delusional and that Bixby is stuck in his mindset.
—Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2025
Like, our delusional friend Hope is so positive.
—Shelby Wax, Vogue, 26 Sep. 2025
It has been mentioned in this space that expecting a young quarterback to lead a team there is nigh on delusional, and odd for a team that for the past two years has made a ton of good free-agent moves.
—John Shipley, Twin Cities, 22 Sep. 2025
But critics warned the cost estimates were far too low, construction deadlines were more delusional than optimistic, and that promised multibillion-dollar investments by private firms would never emerge because state law barred investors from public subsidies if train operations lost money.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2025
For some of us long-suffering fans, football inspires less Messianic zeal than an annual reminder that this is a dark and cruel world and any delusional preseason hope will be quickly and thoroughly snuffed out.
—Jake Coyle, Boston Herald, 19 Sep. 2025
Ibsen here paints one of his most beautiful (and strange) portraits of a delusional but deeply loving household.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
This is absolutely delusional and nauseating.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
An expert called by Bixby's lawyers said the isolation of prison has only made his beliefs more delusional and that Bixby is stuck in his mindset.
—Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for delusional
Adjective
-
Yet these successes were at best partial, and perhaps illusory.—
JENNIFER KAVANAGH,
Foreign Affairs,
30 Sep. 2025
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Everyone has their own analogy to describe Labour’s illusory power.—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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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
Adjective
-
More than any other change, this one act cemented Twitter’s new identity as a right-wing media platform that acted as an extension of Musk’s own political beliefs, paranoid suspicions, midnight musings and personal interests.—
Jacob Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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The ever-paranoid Ally believes all of these headscratchers are part of a Trumpian conspiracy that's out to get her, but audiences were left struggling to connect the dots.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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This isn’t callousness or delusive optimism but, rather, a rebellion against the suffocating expectation that the elderly have foreclosed the possibility of joy.—
Hillary Kelly,
The New Yorker,
21 Feb. 2024
-
To separate art from its historical framework is futile, and to reject it in an effort to censor past violence is a delusive act of virtue signaling.—
WSJ,
WSJ,
5 July 2022
Adjective
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The exchange is later revealed to be a schizophrenic episode.—
JR Radcliffe,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
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The investigation confirmed a mental health component to the case, suggesting that Ricklefs may have been experiencing a schizophrenic episode, according to the news release.—
Natalie Davies,
Freep.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Following his turn as the nerdy and neurotic Michael, David Krumholtz continued his role as head elf Bernard in 2002's The Santa Clause 2, and reprised the part on an episode of the Disney+ series The Santa Clauses in 2022.—
Sophie Dodd,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
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Karen Black chewed the scenery — literally and figuratively — as a neurotic, insecure wife who turns to consuming a diner’s entire desert tray to cope when her husband leaves her.—
Chris Koseluk,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Her writing is surreal and inventive, always.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
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Earlier this week, Anderson made his womenswear debut at Dior, where footwear codes turned equally surreal — from oversized rosette mules to feather-like embellishments.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The idea of a schizoid Lady M is not entirely without appeal, but despite strong performances across the board, the work runs aground fast.—
Rhoda Feng,
Washington Post,
14 Apr. 2024
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The entire movie, of course, was a goof, a schizoid cardboard Vaudeville horror burlesque shot in two days and a night by Roger Corman.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
12 Apr. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Delusional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delusional. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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