Standard Lemma guide

delusion

noun · 7 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.

  • UK: /dɪˈl(j)uːʒ(ə)n/
  • UK: /dɪˈl(j)uːzjən/
  • rhymes with -uːʒən
  • UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH0 L UW1 ZH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An adamant belief in a falsehood despite incontestable evidence.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The state of being deluded or misled, or process of deluding somebody.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

That which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A strong belief contrary to evidence.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

the act of deluding; deception by creating illusory ideas

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: illusion, head game

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: deception, deceit, dissembling, dissimulation

6

noun

Meaning 6

a mistaken or unfounded opinion or idea

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he has delusions of competence
  • his dreams of vast wealth are a hallucination

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hallucination

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: misconception

Narrower terms: disorientation, freak out

7

noun

Meaning 7

(psychology) an erroneous belief that is held in the face of evidence to the contrary

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: psychotic belief

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: psychological state, psychological condition, mental state, mental condition

Narrower terms: delusions of grandeur, delusions of persecution, hallucination, nihilistic delusion, nihilism, somatic delusion, zoanthropy

History

Etymology

From Latin dēlūsiō.

Across languages

Translations

114 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: خِدَاع (ḵidāʕ) — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Belarusian: зман (zman) — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Belarusian: падма́н (padmán) — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Bulgarian: заблу́да (zablúda) — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Bulgarian: илю́зия (iljúzija) — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Chinese Mandarin: 騙局 /骗局 (piànjú) — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Danish: indbildning — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Dutch: inbeelding — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Finnish: harhaanjohtaminen — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • French: illusion — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • French: délire — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • French: idée délirante — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • German: Täuschung — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • German: Irreführung — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Greek: αυταπάτη (aftapáti) — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Greek: ψευδαίσθηση (psevdaísthisi) — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Hebrew: הטעיה (hat'ayá) — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Hindi: भ्रम (bhram) — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Indonesian: bertakhayul — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Indonesian: delusi — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Indonesian: waham — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Italian: illusione — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Italian: convinzione errata — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Māori: pōhēhētanga — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Māori: kaihewa — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Polish: złudzenie — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Polish: omam — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Polish: ułuda — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Polish: złuda — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Polish: przywidzenie — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Portuguese: ilusão — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Portuguese: delusão — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Romanian: amăgire — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Romanian: înșelare — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Russian: обма́н (obmán) — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Russian: введе́ние в заблужде́ние (vvedénije v zabluždénije) — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Spanish: engaño — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Spanish: ilusión — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Turkish: delüzyon — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Ottoman Turkish: وسوسه (vesvese) — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Ukrainian: обма́н (obmán) — act of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind
  • Arabic: ضَلَالَة (ḍalāla) — state of being deluded or misled
  • Arabic: وَهْم (wahm) — state of being deluded or misled
  • Belarusian: заблуджэ́нне (zabludžénnje) — state of being deluded or misled
  • Belarusian: заблуджэ́ньне (zabludžénʹnje) — state of being deluded or misled
  • Belarusian: ілю́зія (iljúzija) — state of being deluded or misled
  • Belarusian: памы́лка (pamýlka) — state of being deluded or misled
  • Bulgarian: заблу́да (zablúda) — state of being deluded or misled
  • Bulgarian: заблужде́ние (zabluždénie) — state of being deluded or misled
  • Chinese Mandarin: 幻想 (huànxiǎng) — state of being deluded or misled
  • Chinese Mandarin: 謬見 /谬见 (miùjiàn) — state of being deluded or misled
  • Czech: blud — state of being deluded or misled
  • Czech: klam — state of being deluded or misled
  • Dutch: waan — state of being deluded or misled
  • Dutch: waanzin — state of being deluded or misled
  • Finnish: harhaluulo — state of being deluded or misled
  • German: Wahn — state of being deluded or misled
  • Greek: πλάνη (pláni) — state of being deluded or misled
  • Greek: αυταπάτη (aftapáti) — state of being deluded or misled
  • Hebrew: אשליה (ashlayá) — state of being deluded or misled
  • Hindi: भ्रमित (bhramit) — state of being deluded or misled
  • Indonesian: delusi — state of being deluded or misled
  • Italian: illusione — state of being deluded or misled
  • Latin: dēlūsiō — state of being deluded or misled
  • Māori: pōhēhētanga — state of being deluded or misled
  • Polish: omamienie — state of being deluded or misled
  • Portuguese: ilusão — state of being deluded or misled
  • Portuguese: delusão — state of being deluded or misled
  • Russian: заблужде́ние (zabluždénije) — state of being deluded or misled
  • Russian: иллю́зия (illjúzija) — state of being deluded or misled
  • Russian: оши́бка (ošíbka) — state of being deluded or misled
  • Serbo-Croatian: deluzija — state of being deluded or misled
  • Serbo-Croatian: zabluda — state of being deluded or misled
  • Spanish: delirio — state of being deluded or misled
  • Tocharian B: traike — state of being deluded or misled
  • Ukrainian: ома́на (omána) — state of being deluded or misled
  • Ukrainian: ілю́зія (iljúzija) — state of being deluded or misled
  • Ukrainian: по́милка (pómylka) — state of being deluded or misled
  • Ukrainian: поми́лка (pomýlka) — state of being deluded or misled
  • Vietnamese: hoang tưởng — state of being deluded or misled
  • Arabic: غَرُور (ḡarūr) — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Chinese Mandarin: 錯誤信念 /错误信念 (cuòwù xìnniàn) — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Czech: blud — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Czech: klam — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Czech: mylná představa — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Czech: falešná představa — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Czech: přelud — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Danish: vrangforestilling — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Dutch: waanidee — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Dutch: waanvoorstelling — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Dutch: waandenkbeeld — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Dutch: waan — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Dutch: hersenschim — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Dutch: misvatting — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Finnish: harhakuvitelma — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • German: Täuschung — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • German: Wahnvorstellung — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • German: Wahn — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Greek: πλάνη (pláni) — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Greek: ψευδαίσθηση (psevdaísthisi) — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Indonesian: paranoid — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Indonesian: waham — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Irish: seachrán — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Japanese: 妄想 (mōsō) — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Latin: dēlūsiō — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Māori: pōhēhētanga — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Portuguese: delírio — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Portuguese: delusão — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Spanish: idea delirante — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Spanish: delirio — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Spanish: delusión — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Spanish: fatamorgana — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Turkish: vehim — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief
  • Ottoman Turkish: وسوسه (vesvese) — that which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief