delusional

Sometimes de·lusion·ary

[dih-loo-zhuh-nl]

adjective

1. having false or unrealistic beliefs or opinions.

   Senators who think they will get agreement on a comprehensive tax bill are delusional.

2. Psychiatry.,  maintaining fixed false beliefs even when confronted with facts, usually as a result of mental illness.

   He was so delusional and paranoid that he thought everybody was conspiring against him.

Word History and Origins

Origin of delusional¹

First recorded in 1850–60; delusion ( def. ) + -al ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

“If I tell you who I am and where I came from, you’ll think I’m delusional.”

Read more on Literature

"Jeffrey had a habit of trying to ensnare people into his delusional world," she added.

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Key elections next May could be a "tipping point" for a prime minister "absolutely delusional" about the likely outcome in Wales, according to some Labour figures.

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“They are either lying, delusional, or both. These people armed with very poorly deployed sacks of cash are working on ‘baby improvement.’”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

One suit was filed by Jacob Irwin, a Wisconsin man who was hospitalized earlier this year after experiencing manic episodes following long conversations with ChatGPT in which the bot reinforced Irwin’s delusional thinking.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• unrealistic