delusion
noun
de·lu·sion
di-ˈlü-zhən 
dē-
1
a
: something that is falsely or delusively believed or propagated
under the delusion that they will finish on schedule
delusions of grandeur
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
Walter ScottSynonyms
Examples of delusion in a Sentence
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
Kody Green started having auditory and visual hallucinations, as well as paranoia and delusions, around during his freshman year of college.
—Katie Camero, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
But the whirlwind romance that brought together top-tier investors and a startup in the tech industry’s most promising sector is also a reminder of the hype, FOMO, and dangerous delusions currently fueling Silicon Valley’s love affair with artificial intelligence.
—Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for delusion 
Katie Camero, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
But the whirlwind romance that brought together top-tier investors and a startup in the tech industry’s most promising sector is also a reminder of the hype, FOMO, and dangerous delusions currently fueling Silicon Valley’s love affair with artificial intelligence.
—Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for delusion
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.
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Dictionary Entries Near delusion
Cite this Entry
“Delusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delusion. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
delusion
noun
de·lu·sion
di-ˈlü-zhən
1
: the act of deluding : the state of being deluded
2
a
: a mistaken or misleading belief
b
: a false belief that persists despite evidence proving it false and occurs especially in some mentally disturbed states
Medical Definition
delusion
noun
de·lu·sion
di-ˈlü-zhən
1
2
: a false belief regarding the self or persons or objects outside the self that persists despite the facts and occurs in some psychotic states compare hallucination sense 1, illusion sense 2a
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