Delusion (Noun)
Meaning 1
The act of deluding; deception by creating illusory ideas.
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
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Meaning 2
A mistaken or unfounded opinion or idea; "he has delusions of competence"; "his dreams of vast wealth are a hallucination".
Classification
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.
Synonyms
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Meaning 3
(psychology) an erroneous belief that is held in the face of evidence to the contrary.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Examples
- His refusal to acknowledge his physical decline and instead thinking he was still strong enough to run a marathon was a clear example of a delusion.
- The patient suffered from a delusion of grandeur, genuinely believing he was the CEO of a successful company despite being a janitor.
- She had a delusion that her ex-partner was still in love with her and would soon return to her, despite his clear rejection.
- The group of cult followers suffered from a collective delusion that the world was going to end on a specific date, despite all evidence indicating otherwise.
- His delusion that he was being followed by government agents led him to become increasingly paranoid and reclusive.