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 ScottExamples 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
Leigh used every moment, every expression, to tell Blanche's story and to illustrate her torment, her delusion, and her desire for affection.
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 2 Mar. 2025
This fact of life discomforts those who refuse to accept the existence of consequences and the politicians whose careers thrive on the delusion that compromise is for the weak.
—Noah Rothman, National Review, 26 Feb. 2025
The show has always explored hive-mind delusions, but Season 3 renders its ensemble numb to logic in the face of inexplicable occurrences.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2025
Greed could refer to material attachment, jealousy bleeds into hatred, and delusion encompasses similar attitudes, like living a life ignorant to Buddha’s teachings or being dull and uncaring.
—Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 17 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for delusion
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.
Ew Staff, EW.com, 2 Mar. 2025
This fact of life discomforts those who refuse to accept the existence of consequences and the politicians whose careers thrive on the delusion that compromise is for the weak.
—Noah Rothman, National Review, 26 Feb. 2025
The show has always explored hive-mind delusions, but Season 3 renders its ensemble numb to logic in the face of inexplicable occurrences.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2025
Greed could refer to material attachment, jealousy bleeds into hatred, and delusion encompasses similar attitudes, like living a life ignorant to Buddha’s teachings or being dull and uncaring.
—Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 17 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for delusion
Cite this Entry
“Delusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delusion. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share