Word
delusion
Phoneticsdelu·sion
US/dɪˈɫuʒən/
UK/dɪlˈuːʒən/
Definitions
01false belief
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
n. a belief in something that is not true, which you keep even when people show you proof that you are wrong.
n. a firm, fixed belief in something false, maintained despite incontrovertible evidence to the contrary.
“He was under the delusion that he could win the race without any training.”
“The patient suffered from the persistent delusion that he was being monitored by a foreign intelligence agency despite all evidence to the contrary.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'under' as in 'under the delusion that'.
Pitfall
He has a delusion of his own importance.
He has delusions of grandeur.
When describing someone who thinks they are much more important than they really are, the fixed phrase is 'delusions of grandeur'.
Synonyms
02the act of misleading
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Formal · Literary
n. the act of tricking someone or the state of being tricked into believing something false.
n. the process of deluding or the state of being deluded; the act of deceiving oneself or others.
“The company's success was a total delusion created by dishonest accounting.”
“The political campaign was built on a foundation of public delusion, masking the true economic consequences of the proposed policies.”
Real-World Examples
“Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, dismissed Trump’s comments as “delusions”.” “Whether that’s his delusion or whether he just actually exists in this insane, cartoon world is for the audience to decide.” “Instead, as I explore in my new book, " The Binary Delusion: How Biology Defies the Myth of Two Sexes ," there is overlap between females and males in each sex-related biological trait.” Etymology
From Latin dēlūsiō.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/delusion