Delusional — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective /di-ˈlü-zhən/ de·lu·sion

Meaning & Definition of Delusional

Delusional (noun)

  1. a false idea or belief
  2. a persistent false psychotic belief regarding the self or persons or objects outside the self that is maintained despite indisputable evidence to the contrary; also, the abnormal state marked by such beliefs
  3. the act of tricking or deceiving someone, the state of being deluded

Delusional (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in surreal, deceptive

    similar: daydreamlike, deceptive, delusive, hallucinatory, illusory, phantasmagoric, surreal, chimerical, fabulous, fanciful, fantasied, fantastic, fictional, fictitious, ideal, imaginal, imaginary, imagined, invented, made-up, make-believe, mythical, notional, phantasmal, phantasmic, phantom, pretend, unreal, visionary, fabled, legendary, romantic, abstract, hypothetical, theoretical, unbelievable, unconvincing, unlikely, conceived, envisaged, envisioned, pictured, visualized, concocted, fabricated, feigned, fictive, inexistent, nonexistent
    opposite: authentic, genuine, true, factual, verifiable, verified, believable, convincing, realistic, corporeal, material, physical, solid, substantial, palpable, tangible, actual, existent, existing, real

  2. as in paranoid, neurotic

    similar: aberrant, delirious, delusionary, disordered, disturbed, neurotic, obsessive-compulsive, paranoiac, paranoid, schizoid, schizophrenic, psychopathic, sociopathic, high-strung, unstable, uptight, anxious, bothered, distressed, overanxious, uneasy, unquiet, unsettled, worried, jittery, jumpy, nervous, restless, skittish, tense, bats, batty, bonkers (informal + sometimes offensive), brainsick, crazed (sometimes offensive), crazy (usually offensive), daft (chiefly British, informal), demented, deranged (often offensive), insane, loco (slang), mad, maniacal, mental (sometimes offensive), non compos mentis, nuts (informal + sometimes offensive), nutty (sometimes offensive), psycho (informal + disparaging), psychotic (sometimes offensive), unbalanced, unhinged, unsound, wud (chiefly Scottish), eccentric, odd, oddball, pixilated, queer, strange, irrational, unreasonable, fixated, obsessed
    opposite: unneurotic, relaxed, relieved, tranquilized, collected, composed, cool, coolheaded, equal, level, limpid, peaceful, placid, possessed, recollected, sedate, self-composed, self-possessed, serene, smooth, together, tranquil, undisturbed, unperturbed, unruffled, unshaken, untroubled, unworried, clear, lucid, rational, reasonable, balanced, compos mentis, sane, sound, uncrazy

Related Entry: Delusion (noun)

Delusion is a different word from Delusional. The synonyms below are for delusion, not for delusional.

  1. a conception or image created by the imagination and having no objective reality

    "her idea that her new man is a long lost prince is surely just a delusion"

    similar: chimera, conceit, daydream, dream, fancy, fantasy, figment, hallucination, illusion, nonentity, phantasm, pipe dream, unreality, vision, castle in Spain, castle in the air
    related: ignis fatuus, mirage, will-o'-the-wisp, brainchild, idea, concoction, fable, fabrication, fiction, invention, envisaging, imaging, visualization, cloud-cuckoo-land, cloudland, Shangri-la, utopia, daymare, nightmare
    near: actuality, fact, reality

  2. a false idea or belief

    "he appears to suffer from the delusion that he's the best reporter in the business"

    similar: error, fallacy, falsehood, falsity, hallucination, illusion, misbelief, misconception, myth, old wives' tale, untruth
    related: factoid, superstition, fiction, pretense, distortion, inaccuracy, misapprehension, miscomprehension, misinterpretation, misjudgment, misperception, misunderstanding, misinformation, misknowledge, misreport, misrepresentation, misstatement, sophism, sophistry, fib, half-truth, lie, story, tale
    opposite: truth, verity

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Delusional

The most common words with a similar meaning to Delusional:

Sometimes offensive: crazed, mental, nutty, psychotic
Informal + sometimes offensive: bonkers, nuts
Usually offensive: crazy
Chiefly British, informal: daft
Often offensive: deranged
Slang: loco
daydreamlike, deceptive, delusive, hallucinatory, illusory, phantasmagoric, surreal, chimerical, fabulous, fanciful, fantasied, fantastic, fictional, fictitious, ideal, imaginal, imaginary, imagined, invented, made-up, make-believe, mythical, notional, phantasmal, phantasmic, phantom, pretend, unreal, visionary, fabled, legendary, romantic, abstract, hypothetical, theoretical, unbelievable, unconvincing, unlikely, conceived, envisaged

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Delusional

Words with the opposite meaning of Delusional:

authentic, genuine, true, factual, verifiable, verified, believable, convincing, realistic, corporeal, material, physical, solid, substantial, palpable, tangible, actual, existent, existing, real, unneurotic, relaxed, relieved, tranquilized, collected, composed, cool, coolheaded, equal, level

Word Forms of Delusional

Derived words: delusional (adjective), delusionary (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Delusional

Middle English dilusioun "deceit," borrowed from Late Latin dēlūsiōn-, dēlūsiō "trickery, deceiving," from Latin dēlūdere "to deceive, dupe" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action delude

First known use: 15th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Delusional

What does "Delusional" mean?

"Delusional" means a false idea or belief. As an a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: a false idea or belief. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Delusional"?

Other words for "Delusional" include daydreamlike, deceptive, delusive, hallucinatory, illusory, phantasmagoric, surreal and chimerical. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Delusional" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Delusional"?

There are 112 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Delusional". Common alternatives include daydreamlike, deceptive, delusive, hallucinatory, illusory, phantasmagoric, surreal, chimerical, fabulous and fanciful.

What is an informal or casual word for "Delusional"?

Casual or informal alternatives for "Delusional" include bonkers, nuts, daft and psycho.

What is the opposite of "Delusional"?

Antonyms of "Delusional" include authentic, genuine, true, factual, verifiable, verified, believable and convincing.

Is "Delusional" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Delusional" can be used as a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Delusional"?

"Delusional" is pronounced /di-ˈlü-zhən/ and divided into syllables as de·lu·sion.

What is the origin of the word "Delusional"?

"Delusional" comes from Middle English dilusioun "deceit," borrowed from Late Latin dēlūsiōn-, dēlūsiō "trickery, deceiving," from Latin dēlūdere "to deceive, dupe" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action delude. First known use: 15th century.