Standard Lemma guide

confabulate

verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /kənˈfæbjʊleɪt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To speak casually with; to chat.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: confab, discourse, parley, chat, common, confabulate, conversate, converse, convo, jaw, treat, word

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To confer.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To fabricate memories in order to fill gaps in one's memory.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: ambitransitive

Topics: human-sciences, psychology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

have a conference in order to talk something over

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We conferred about a plan of action

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: confer, confab, consult

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: hash out, discuss, talk over

Narrower terms: collogue

5

verb

Meaning 5

talk socially without exchanging too much information

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the men were sitting in the cafe and shooting the breeze

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: chew the fat, shoot the breeze, chat, confab, chitchat, chit-chat, chatter, chaffer, natter, gossip, jaw, claver, visit

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: converse, discourse

Narrower terms: shmooze, shmoose, schmooze, schmoose, jawbone

6

verb

Meaning 6

unconsciously replace fact with fantasy in one's memory

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: fabricate, manufacture, cook up, make up, invent

History

Etymology

First attested in 1623; borrowed from Latin cōnfābulātus, perfect active participle of cōnfābulor, see -ate (verb-forming suffix).

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: конфабулирам (konfabuliram) — to fabricate memories in order to fill gaps in one's memory
  • French: confabuler — to fabricate memories in order to fill gaps in one's memory
  • German: konfabulieren — to fabricate memories in order to fill gaps in one's memory
  • Norwegian: konfabulere — to fabricate memories in order to fill gaps in one's memory
  • Spanish: confabular — to fabricate memories in order to fill gaps in one's memory