Definition of hallucinationnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun hallucination contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of hallucination are delusion, illusion, and mirage. While all these words mean "something that is believed to be true or real but that is actually false or unreal," hallucination implies impressions that are the product of disordered senses, as because of mental illness or drugs.

suffered from terrifying hallucinations

When is it sensible to use delusion instead of hallucination?

The words delusion and hallucination are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 illusion be used instead of hallucination?

Although the words illusion and hallucination have much in common, illusion implies a false ascribing of reality based on what one sees or imagines.

an illusion of safety

When is mirage a more appropriate choice than hallucination?

While in some cases nearly identical to hallucination, 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 hallucination And while the other stuff — the hallucinations, strange noises, the eerie soundscape — might frighten from time to time, Alma is what’s truly scary, forcing players to perpetually keep their flashlight on and doublechecking every corner. Will Borger, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025 Those seemingly random bits of color and light are really closed-eye hallucinations, also known as closed-eye visualizations (CEV). Diana Hubbell, Popular Science, 29 Oct. 2025 The events included hallucinations, vomiting, tremor, anxiety, dizziness, confusion and loss of consciousness, according to an October 2024 release. Christina Hall, Freep.com, 28 Oct. 2025 Schizophrenics without auditory hallucinations didn’t show the normal suppression pattern either. New Atlas, 25 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hallucination
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hallucination
Noun
  • But as his son’s college dreams were coming into focus, Dominique thought about his own path and upbringing.
    Mirin Fader, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Most cops have hero dreams, protector fantasies that sustain them through days that are mostly mundane.
    Jamie Thompson, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke said paralytic dementia symptoms can include delusions along with memory and language problems.
    Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 6 Jan. 2026
  • But in this version, set in a contemporary world resembling our own, where politics is a spectacle, the main character’s delusions revolve around television.
    Erin Somers, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Suburbia offered the illusion of moral purity, deepening social segregation as highways allowed a quick access to and from the city centre.
    Fahad Zuberi, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
  • All one had to do would be to rethink what removals are for (or shake off any post-substitutionist illusions about it).
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • These passages reflect how divided the planet once was, how easily myths about the United States could become rooted in other countries.
    Tope Folarin, The Atlantic, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Some people believe that propane tanks explode from freezing temperatures, but this is a myth.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • But Ma has been deftly drawn as a canny realist and problem solver—not the kind of person to indulge in daydreams.
    Tope Folarin, The Atlantic, 8 Nov. 2025
  • But for business and organizational leaders, this theme doesn’t need to be the stuff of daydreams.
    Jed Brewer, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The federal government primarily finances supplemental food benefits, but the state’s share is determined, in part, by its management, as indicated by its rate of error when determining people’s eligibility.
    Dan Walters, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026
  • The research depended on computer simulations, which meant that tiny adjustments to the initial state of the digital fluid (or any digital rounding errors) wouldn’t affect the fluid’s fate.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Spirited, political, and deeply kind individuals, the Christos were passionately devoted to their artistic vision.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Ralph has continued to grace the stage as a vision of strength and style.
    Donnetta Monk, Essence, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • While a student-athlete at Arizona State, the NCAA says Freeman provided information to an associate and to his then-girlfriend on multiple occasions for the purposes of betting on Freeman through daily fantasy sports accounts.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Nestled on 30 private acres in the South Fork of Provo Canyon, the secluded property threads streams and waterfalls beneath stone bridges, across gentle knolls, and under low-hanging eaves, all hinting at a hobbit-house inspiration without ever tipping into twee fantasy.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 6 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Hallucination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hallucination. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on hallucination

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