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 this didn’t necessarily mark the end of the league’s hit-or-miss booking strategy—turns out that 1997 Blues Brothers tribute featuring Jim Belushi and John Goodman wasn’t the product of a mass hallucination—the Wacko Jacko coup was a huge step forward for the NFL. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 17 Oct. 2025 An error, omission or hallucination can risk the integrity of a prosecution or, worse, justify a false arrest. Andrew Guthrie Ferguson, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2025 Still, despite the occasional hallucination, Gary’s value was obvious. Jj Rosen, Nashville Tennessean, 12 Oct. 2025 Instead of gradually boiling into insanity, the film hits fever pitch hallucinations right away and quickly exhausts itself attempting to keep pace. J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hallucination
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hallucination
Noun
  • The video gives the illusion that the plane is cutting straight through the colorful arcs.
    Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
  • That illusion was shattered Thursday when gambling and sports rigging schemes linked to the mob led to the arrests of 31 defendants, including Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and former NBA player with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, Damon Jones.
    Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Antipsychotic medications can reduce hallucinations and delusions, while therapies and rehabilitations can address specific concerns, like teaching cognitive techniques or enhancing social skills to interact with others.
    Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
  • It is associated with hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behavior that impair daily functioning and can be disabling.
    Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • But if so, that original dream did not last long in the face of the torrent of money that soon started flooding his way.
    Moisés Naím, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Star Kenzi Richardson spoke with Parents about her adventures portraying a teen vampire and making her dreams come true on Disney Channel.
    Allison McClain Merrill, Parents, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Foundation Rock also highlights her relationship with other protective deities, consistently linking her power to myths and the spiritual undertone of water.
    Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Pitting vengeful ghosts against a backdrop of a supernatural love story, the film charmingly plays with genre to question how history and myth can probe collective and socio-political grief.
    Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • In pieces on patriotism as a kind of madness, on the long history of Polish and Russian colonizations and cultural appropriations of Ukraine, on the ways communities fantasize and share their daydreams, and others, Janion creates wormholes between past and present.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Weston Cloud Modular Sectional Sofa Sinking into cloud-like comfort is no longer a far-off daydream: The Weston Cloud Sofa's plush cushions provide a lavish experience ideal for relaxing after a long day.
    Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • For Baltimore, the margin for error is gone.
    Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025
  • The Wolverines then made three consecutive hitting errors, essentially putting the set out of reach.
    Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Get started with the Sleeper promo code NEWSWEEKXL to take advantage of one of the best daily fantasy offers for a busy sports weekend.
    Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Draped in orange velvet curtains, layered with vintage rugs and filled with embellished pieces that feel as if they’ve been discovered in another time, the space is designed to create an atmosphere that blurs the line between fashion and fantasy.
    Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Most aneurysms are symptom-free, but sudden severe headaches or vision changes can signal a life-threatening rupture.
    Sohaib Imtiaz, Health, 25 Oct. 2025
  • While Diagonal provided the large-scale structure, Marta championed the project from its inception, bringing a deep sensitivity to the narrative, supporting the tone, script development and artistic vision.
    Callum McLennan, Variety, 24 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Hallucination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hallucination. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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