delusion

[dih-loo-zhuhn] / dɪˈlu ʒən /

NOUN

misconception, misbelief

Synonyms

STRONGEST

deception fantasy hallucination illusion pipe dream

STRONG

apparition blunder casuistry chicanery daydream deceptiveness dream error fallacy fancy figment ghost lapse mirage misapprehension mistake oversight phantasm phantom self-deception shade speciousness spuriousness trickery trip vision

WEAK

eidolon false impression fool's paradise head trip ignis fatuus optical illusion

Antonyms

STRONGEST

fact reality truth

STRONG

accuracy actuality being certainty correction fix honesty right success

WEAK

surety

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Astrology was just the vessel that shaped the delusion, not its cause.

From Slate • May 5, 2026

Weeks after he charged into the street at night, Adam started to read stories in the media about people who had similar experiences with AI and slowly emerged from his delusion.

From BBC • May 2, 2026

A U.K. police chief is under fire after admitting a delusion from Microsoft Copilot produced incorrect evidence.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 14, 2026

“We might have had the delusion of a reprieve. But they didn’t change their mind.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 2, 2026

I knew something here must have been a delusion.

From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia

Vocabulary lists containing delusion

Night

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Stargirl

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