as in misleading
tending or having power to deceive
the delusory notion that wealth invariably brings happiness
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Recent Examples of delusory
That is delusory of course, but it can be fashioned into a victory claim that might well be readily embraced by war-weary and war-wary Russians in the public and among the elite.
—
John Mueller, Foreign Affairs, 29 Nov. 2022
John Mueller, Foreign Affairs, 29 Nov. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for delusory
Adjective
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Experts immediately pointed out that Hassett had used a misleading method known as a cubic fit to make the mortality data appear less frightening.—
Rogé Karma,
The Atlantic,
7 Jan. 2026
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For its misleading omissions, the Times story deserves a flunking grade.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Locked doors, bloody bits in trunks, deceptive lovers with ill intentions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
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Even one of the more reputable internet weather personalities, Ryan Hall, whose YouTube channel staffs a team of meteorologists, and who has more than three million subscribers, often opts for flashy graphics and deceptive provocations to increase engagement.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Over the past two years, attorneys for Meija have argued in post-conviction hearings that prosecutors introduced false and misleading testimony at trial and newly available scientific methods proved that Casiaono, who was submerged in a bathtub full of scalding water, died by accident.—
Tony Plohetski,
Austin American Statesman,
23 Jan. 2026
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Banfield’s defense attorney has accused prosecutors of offering Peres Magalhães a way out of prison in exchange for a false story to pin the murders on Banfield.—
Lauren del Valle,
CNN Money,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Delusory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delusory. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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