delusive

Also de·lu·so·ry

[dih-loo-siv]

adjective

1. tending to delude; misleading; deceptive.

   a delusive reply.

2. of the nature of a delusion; false; unreal.

   a delusive belief.

Other Word Forms

• delusively adverb
• delusiveness noun
• nondelusive adjective
• undelusive adjective
• undelusively adverb
• undelusiveness noun
• undelusory adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of delusive¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; delus(ion) + -ive

Example Sentences

His Willy, a salesman aggressively trapped in a delusive way of thinking, would rather die a martyr than admit to being sold a bill of goods about success.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“My delusive longing to sense some genuine vestige of this woman has culminated in the awareness that she’s no longer present anywhere, except in my imagination.”

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Often intertwined with economic and social resentments, demonization of Jews was long part of Christian tradition, and, with the growth of European nationalism in the 19th century, it took on delusive notions of race.

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“When they are trying to persuade the region that they are competent to fulfill its development dreams, they are misrepresenting themselves with a delusive promise of an ‘alternative model.’”

Read more on Washington Times

After all, if the world and the self are illusions, it is delusive to believe that they can be redeemed.

Read more on The New Yorker