1
as in illusory
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2
as in delusionary
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Recent Examples of delusional
Sure, the park encompasses a massive 1,300 acres, but comparing this underdeveloped pipedream to the nation’s pre-eminent public parks is delusional.
—
The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
But for a few unlucky people, chatbots powered by the technology have become a gaslighting, delusional menace.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2025
Her protagonist, known to have been derived from herself in a few other ways, blunders along and is charming but delusional, unlike Austen’s fiercely independent and witty Elizabeth Bennet.
—Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
Either way, Bravo cameras will always reward a delusional queen.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 4 Oct. 2025
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
The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
But for a few unlucky people, chatbots powered by the technology have become a gaslighting, delusional menace.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2025
Her protagonist, known to have been derived from herself in a few other ways, blunders along and is charming but delusional, unlike Austen’s fiercely independent and witty Elizabeth Bennet.
—Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
Either way, Bravo cameras will always reward a delusional queen.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 4 Oct. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for delusional
Adjective
-
Elegant yet illusory, the pearls become armor for a woman determined to turn artifice into art.—
Lilah Ramzi,
Vogue,
25 Oct. 2025
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Man, woman, dog—their illusory life was over.—
Joy Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Sam Levinson’s hallucinatory high school drama Euphoria was renewed for a third season back in 2022, though its future remained uncertain for some time.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Harwicz’s novels are more hallucinatory than supernatural—but a more provocative distinction between her books and others in this semi-subgenre is that, for her characters, motherhood does not cause animal rage and instability so much as instantiate them.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Meanwhile, Sarah gets increasingly paranoid.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
29 Oct. 2025
-
There’s beauty in that depth, but also a risk of becoming paranoid, withdrawn, or overly cynical.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
26 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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Basil, of course, is far from perfect, a rude, neurotic, accident-prone manager who insults guests, hides his gambling winnings from his wife and organizes an elaborate impersonation of her when his surprise anniversary party backfires.—
Rhett Bartlett,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Oct. 2025
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Vanya is a closeted gay man who shuns intimacy and Sonia is a neurotic spinster who feels unnoticed and unloved.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In my favorite works of his, like A Case for the Existence of God and A Bright New Boise—a play that has its own surreal dynamic with television screens, which play images of hell in the middle of a big-box store—Hunter locates an unnerving mysticism in between the atoms of the hyper-real.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
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But Terrifier 2 mostly uses those details as pillars to prop up one surreal, splattery set piece after another.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 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 5 Nov. 2025.
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