Table of Contents
- What is the noun form of delusion?
- What is the adjective form of delusion?
- What is the verb form of vague?
- Is vague a verb or noun?
- What is vague expression?
- What is an example of a vague noun?
- What is the adjective for indicate?
- What is the noun form of developed?
- What is the verb for development?
- Is generationally a word?
- Is Instigational a word?
- What marooned means?
- What is instigate project?
- What does it mean to instigate a fight?
- What is the opposite of instigate?
Frequently Asked Questions About delusion While all these words mean “something that is believed to be true or real but that is actually false or unreal,” 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.
What is the noun form of delusion?
noun. noun. /dɪˈluʒn/ 1[countable] a false belief or opinion about yourself or your situation the delusions of the mentally ill Don’t go getting delusions of grandeur (= a belief that you are more important than you actually are).
What is the adjective form of delusion?
Derived forms of delusion delusional, adjectivedelusive, adjectivedelusively, adverbdelusiveness, noun.
What is the verb form of vague?
past tense of vague is vagued.
Is vague a verb or noun?
adjective, va·guer, va·guest. not clearly or explicitly stated or expressed: vague promises. indefinite or indistinct in nature or character, as ideas or feelings: a vague premonition of disaster.
What is vague expression?
When we don’t know the name of something. We can use vague expressions when we are not sure of the name of something. These expressions include: what do you call it?, what’s it called?, it’s a kind of X, it’s a sort of X, it’s a type of X, or something, thing, stuff: A: Val’s been in hospital for tests.
What is an example of a vague noun?
Examples. Vague: Consumer demand is rising in the area of services. Precise: Consumers are demanding more services. Vague: Strong reading skills are an important factor in students’ success in college. Precise: Students’ success in college depends on their reading skills.
What is the adjective for indicate?
indicative. adjective. /ɪnˈdɪkət̮ɪv/ 1[not usually before noun] indicative (of something) (formal) showing or suggesting something Their failure to act is indicative of their lack of interest.
What is the noun form of developed?
The noun form of develop is development.
What is the verb for development?
[intransitive, transitive] to gradually grow or become bigger, more advanced, stronger, etc.; to make something do this The child is developing normally.
Is generationally a word?
With regard to the generations.
Is Instigational a word?
noun. the act of instigating; incitement. an incentive.
What marooned means?
marooned; marooning; maroons. Definition of maroon (Entry 2 of 3) transitive verb. 1 : to put ashore on a desolate island or coast and leave to one’s fate. 2 : to place or leave in isolation or without hope of ready escape.
What is instigate project?
Project Instigate works with leaders who want to maximize impact, deliver results and instigate massive change by helping them strategize their next steps so they feel more empowered and less overwhelmed.
What does it mean to instigate a fight?
verb (used with object), in·sti·gat·ed, in·sti·gat·ing. to cause by incitement; foment: to instigate a quarrel. to urge, provoke, or incite to some action or course: to instigate the people to revolt.
What is the opposite of instigate?
instigateverb. Antonyms: stop, halt, prevent. Synonyms: incite, provoke, tempt, spur, urge, stimulate, animate, impel, encourage.
1
a
: something that is falsely or delusively believed or propagated
under the delusion that they will finish on schedule
b
psychology
: a persistent false psychotic belief regarding the self or persons or objects outside the self that is maintained despite indisputable evidence to the contrary
the delusion that someone was out to hurt him
also
: the abnormal state marked by such beliefs
2
: the act of tricking or deceiving someone : the state of being deluded
… accused the Bohemian of having practised the most abominable arts of delusion among the younger brethren.—
Walter Scott
Synonyms
Choose the Right Synonym for delusion
delusion, illusion, hallucination, mirage mean something that is believed to be true or real but that is actually false or unreal.
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.
illusion implies a false ascribing of reality based on what one sees or imagines.
hallucination implies impressions that are the product of disordered senses, as because of mental illness or drugs.
suffered from terrifying hallucinations
mirage in its extended sense applies to an illusory vision, dream, hope, or aim.
claimed a balanced budget is a mirage
Example Sentences
He has delusions about how much money he can make at that job.
He is living under the delusion that he is incapable of making mistakes.
She is under the delusion that we will finish on time.
As the illness progressed, his delusions took over and he had violent outbursts.
Recent Examples on the Web
By the end of episode one, however, the audience sees Dre rapidly spiral into a psychotic and sociopathic chaotic chasm of delusion, wrath and vengeance after blaming herself for not preventing Marissa’s act of suicide.
—Demetrius Patterson, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Mar. 2023
It’s called the Truman Show delusion, after the 1998 movie.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Feb. 2023
Stahelski: No one was under any delusion that Matrix wasn’t going to be pretty awesome.
—WIRED, 14 Feb. 2023
In The Matrix, the hero Neo (Keanu Reeves) must choose between a blue pill to continue his delusion or a red pill to wake up to reality.
—Eliana Dockterman, Time, 23 Sep. 2022
Nevertheless, Damani is besotted with Jolene, and that attraction leads to delusion.
—Jon Michaud, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2023
Grindah’s girlfriend Miche, the droll embodiment of chav delusion and narcissism.
—Nicolas Stecher, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2022
The consequences of a war lost through incompetence, delusion and self-defeat will reverberate beyond South Asia.
—H.r. Mcmaster, WSJ, 10 Nov. 2021
Stupidity and arrogance and apathy and delusion all played their parts.
—Jane Carr, CNN, 15 Feb. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘delusion.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Late Latin delusion-, delusio, from deludere — see delude
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Time Traveler
The first known use of delusion was
in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near delusion
Cite this Entry
“Delusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delusion. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023.
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This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
[ dih-loo-zhuhn ]
/ dɪˈlu ʒən /
This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
noun
a false belief or opinion: delusions of grandeur.
Psychiatry. a fixed false belief that is resistant to reason or confrontation with actual fact: a paranoid delusion.
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Origin of delusion
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin dēlūsiōn- (stem of dēlūsiō ), equivalent to dēlūs(us) (past participle of dēlūdere; see delude) + -iōn- -ion
synonym study for delusion
OTHER WORDS FROM delusion
de·lu·sion·al, de·lu·sion·ar·y, adjectivepre·de·lu·sion, noun
Words nearby delusion
delts, delubrum, delude, deluded, deluge, delusion, delusional, delusive, delusterant, delustering, deluxe
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
MORE ABOUT DELUSION
What is a delusion?
A delusion is a false belief or opinion, especially one held in resistance to strong evidence against it, as in Even after losing five straight championships, Heather still had the delusion that she was the best in the world.
In psychiatry, delusion is used to mean an unshakeable belief in something that isn’t true. They believe it because they have a mental disorder, such as schizophrenia.
More generally, delusion can be used to mean an act of deluding, as in The crowd didn’t fall for the swindler’s attempts at delusion.
Delusion can also refer to the state of being deluded, as in The emperor’s delusion was the work of the evil, scheming vizier.
Delusion is similar to the words illusion and hallucination, which also describe false beliefs or experiences. An illusion is a false image that is a result of a distortion or manipulation of actual things. For example, makeup can create the illusion that a person is younger than they actually are.
A hallucination is a false sensory experience that isn’t rooted in reality at all. On the other hand, a delusion is often somewhat based on reality but a person’s belief is inaccurate due to wrong information or their own hubris.
Example: Despite his low test scores, Gerard strongly believed the delusion that he was the smartest kid in the class.
Where does delusion come from?
The first records of the term delusion come from around 1375. It ultimately comes from the Latin dēlūdere, which means “to play false.”
When you have a delusion, you earnestly believe the false thing. If you don’t actually believe it, it’s not a delusion.
While psychiatric delusions are caused by mental disorders, general delusions are more often attributed to things like stubbornness, naiveté, or narcissism. Most of the time, we can admit we were wrong when someone shows us evidence that our belief is inaccurate. A person with delusions, however, will claim the evidence itself is wrong or fake, and it will take a tremendous amount of effort to convince them of the true reality, if they can be convinced at all.
Did you know … ?
How is delusion used in real life?
In general, the word delusion is often used to harshly criticize a person’s opinion or beliefs.
One snake attack and now I’m nervous of rustling bushes. How dare they disrupt my delusions of invincibility?!
— Stefan L (@_Stefan88) October 15, 2009
Just thinking about how a lot of peoples idea of revenge is based on a delusion that others care about them one way or the other.
— Liz Harvey (@_lizharvey) June 21, 2019
An absolutely enormous number of smokers I encounter insist they are not addicted to nicotine, but instead have an “oral fixation.” How did this bizarre delusion become so widespread?
— @hamiltonmorris (@HamiltonMorris) March 12, 2018
Try using delusion!
Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of delusion?
A. fantasy
B. deception
C. reality
D. misconception
Words related to delusion
deception, fantasy, hallucination, illusion, pipe dream, apparition, blunder, casuistry, chicanery, daydream, deceptiveness, dream, error, fallacy, fancy, figment, ghost, lapse, mirage, misapprehension
How to use delusion in a sentence
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“It seems to have forced those people onto darker, scarier apps where their delusion and bloodlust can run wild,” Dorsey allowed.
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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov retorted that Navalny had delusions of grandeur, paranoia and a “Freudian fixation” on his underwear.
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A nation unwilling to tell the truth about itself to itself will circle its delusions until there is nothing left to tether it to reality.
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Those keywords — delusion, justice, accountability and freedom — name and organize the four short essays that provide most of the book’s pages.
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What’s more, we are willing to lessen the criminal penalty if the person was deprived of free will, for instance if they were in the grip of a schizophrenic delusion.
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I suffer from no delusion that the justice system treats black and white equally.
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The Hannity-esque delusion of a post-racial America is ill-informed at best and bigoted at worst.
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To his fellow survivors and to the audience, this delusion indicates another slip on a downward spiral.
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Like Miller, Wolf suffers from the radical self-delusion that mistakes bonkers political views for uncommonly brave opinion.
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Dawkins is an adept cultural fire-conductor; the title of his bestselling book The God Delusion gives a clear indicator why.
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It was directed to Mr. Carr, and said as plainly as look could say, «Don’t undeceive her; keep up the delusion.»
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Dining the eminent members of my constituency on horse-meat, under the delusion that what is good for chickens is good for votes.
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The horrible phantasy had faded from her mind with the morning light, and she would try and think of it as a mental delusion.
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She found this imaginary phenomenon to be soothing rather than otherwise, and resigned herself almost eagerly to the delusion.
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The delusion of the red figure with the knife had passed for a moment, and the king’s eyes were closed.
British Dictionary definitions for delusion
noun
a mistaken or misleading opinion, idea, belief, etche has delusions of grandeur
psychiatry a belief held in the face of evidence to the contrary, that is resistant to all reasonSee also illusion, hallucination
the act of deluding or state of being deluded
Derived forms of delusion
delusional, adjectivedelusive, adjectivedelusively, adverbdelusiveness, noun
delusory (dɪˈluːsərɪ), adjective
Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for delusion
A false belief or perception strongly held in spite of invalidating evidence, especially as a symptom of mental illness, as in schizophrenia.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Cultural definitions for delusion
A false belief held despite strong evidence against it; self-deception. Delusions are common in some forms of psychosis. Because of his delusions, the literary character Don Quixote attacks a windmill, thinking it is a giant.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other forms: delusions
A delusion is a belief that has no evidence in fact — a complete illusion. The cook at the hot dog stand who thinks he is the best chef in the world? That opinion is definitely a delusion.
The noun delusion is often used in the phrase delusions of grandeur, which expresses the belief that unattainable goals are well within reach, like a terrible actress’s delusions of grandeur that she won’t just land her first role in a movie, it also will make her an Academy Award winner. Delusions like that can be amusing for onlookers, but other kinds of delusions are not, like those suffered by the mentally ill. Their delusions can remove them from reality, making it hard to function.
Definitions of delusion
-
noun
a mistaken or unfounded opinion or idea
“he has
delusions of competence”-
synonyms:
hallucination
-
noun
the act of deluding; deception by creating illusory ideas
-
noun
(psychology) an erroneous belief that is held in the face of evidence to the contrary
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘delusion’.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
Send us feedback
Commonly confused words
allusion / illusion / delusion
Novelists, magicians, and other tricksters keep these words busy. Novelists love an allusion, an indirect reference to something like a secret treasure for the reader to find; magicians heart illusions, or fanciful fake-outs; but tricksters suffer from delusions, ideas that have no basis in reality.
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English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Latin delusio.
Pronunciation[edit]
- (UK) IPA(key): /dɪˈl(j)uːʒ(ə)n/, /dɪˈl(j)uːzjən/
- Rhymes: -uːʒən
Noun[edit]
delusion (countable and uncountable, plural delusions)
- A false belief that is resistant to confrontation with actual facts.
- The state of being deluded or misled, or process of deluding somebody.
-
It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
-
- That which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief.
-
1960, William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany, New York: Simon & Schuster, →ISBN, LCCN 81101072, page 835:
-
Hess, always a muddled man though not so doltish as Rosenberg, flew on his own to Britain under the delusion that he could arrange a peace settlement.
-
-
- A fixed, false belief, that will not change, despite evidence to the contrary.
Derived terms[edit]
- delusional
- delusionary
- delusion of adequacy
- delusion of doubles
- delusion of grandeur
- Fregoli delusion
- self-delusion
Translations[edit]
act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
- Arabic: خِدَاع m (ḵidāʕ)
- Belarusian: зман m (zman), падма́н m (padmán)
- Bulgarian: заблу́да (bg) f (zablúda), илю́зия (bg) f (iljúzija)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 騙局／骗局 (zh) (piànjú)
- Danish: indbildning c
- Dutch: inbeelding (nl) c
- Finnish: harhaanjohtaminen
- French: illusion (fr) f, délire (fr) m
- German: Täuschung (de) f, Irreführung (de) f
- Greek: αυταπάτη (el) f (aftapáti), (psychiatry) ψευδαίσθηση (el) f (psevdaísthisi)
- Hebrew: הטעיה f (hat’ayá)
- Indonesian: bertakhayul, delusi (id), waham (id)
- Italian: illusione (it) f
- Maori: pōhēhētanga
- Polish: złudzenie (pl) n, omam (pl) m, ułuda f, złuda f, przywidzenie n
- Portuguese: ilusão (pt) f
- Romanian: amăgire (ro) f, înșelare (ro) f
- Russian: обма́н (ru) m (obmán), введе́ние в заблужде́ние n (vvedénije v zabluždénije)
- Spanish: engaño (es) m, ilusión (es) f
- Turkish: delüzyon (tr)
- Ukrainian: обма́н m (obmán)
state of being deluded or misled
- Arabic: ضَلَالَة f (ḍalāla), وَهْم m (wahm)
- Belarusian: заблуджэ́нне n (zabludžénnje), заблуджэ́ньне n (zabludžénʹnje), ілю́зія f (iljúzija), памы́лка f (pamýlka)
- Bulgarian: заблу́да (bg) f (zablúda), заблужде́ние (bg) n (zabluždénie)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 幻想 (zh) (huànxiǎng), 謬見／谬见 (zh) (miùjiàn)
- Czech: blud m
- Dutch: waan (nl) c, waanzin (nl) c
- Finnish: harhaluulo (fi)
- German: Wahn (de) m
- Greek: πλάνη (el) f (pláni), αυταπάτη (el) f (aftapáti)
- Hebrew: אשליה (he) f (ashlayá)
- Indonesian: delusi (id)
- Italian: illusione (it) f
- Latin: delusio f
- Maori: pōhēhētanga
- Polish: omamienie n
- Portuguese: ilusão (pt) f, delusão (pt) f
- Russian: заблужде́ние (ru) n (zabluždénije), иллю́зия (ru) f (illjúzija), оши́бка (ru) f (ošíbka)
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Roman: deluzija (sh) f, zabluda (sh) f
- Spanish: delirio (es) m (psychology)
- Tocharian B: traike
- Ukrainian: ома́на (uk) f (omána), ілю́зія f (iljúzija), по́милка (uk) f (pómylka), поми́лка (uk) f (pomýlka)
- Vietnamese: hoang tưởng (vi)
that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
- Arabic: غَرُور m (ḡarūr)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: please add this translation if you can
- Danish: vrangforestilling c
- Dutch: waanidee (nl) n, waanvoorstelling (nl) c, waandenkbeeld n, waan (nl) c, hersenschim (nl) c, misvatting (nl) c
- Finnish: harhakuvitelma (fi)
- German: Täuschung (de) f, Wahnvorstellung (de) f, Wahn (de) m
- Greek: πλάνη (el) f (pláni), ψευδαίσθηση (el) (psevdaísthisi)
- Indonesian: paranoid (id), waham (id)
- Irish: seachrán m
- Japanese: 妄想 (ja) (mōsō)
- Latin: delusio f
- Maori: pōhēhētanga
- Portuguese: delírio (pt) m
- Spanish: idea delirante f, delirio (es) m
- Turkish: vehim (tr)
Translations to be checked
Further reading[edit]
- delusion in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
Anagrams[edit]
- insouled, unsoiled