confabulation

[ kuhn-fab-yuh-ley-shuhn ]

See synonyms for: confabulation confabulatory on Thesaurus.com

noun

the act of confabulating; conversation; discussion: One night, over a beer, Jake and I got into a confabulation on the world and life in general, and Jake's affairs in particular.
Psychiatry, Psychology. the replacement of a gap in a person's memory by a falsification that they believe to be true: The report concluded that while the information elicited under hypnosis may be accurate, it may also include confabulations and pseudomemories.

Origin of confabulation

First recorded in 1490–1500; from Late Latin confabulātiōn- (stem of confābulātiō ) “conversation,” equivalent to confābulāt(us) (see confabulate) + -iōn- noun suffix; see -ion

Other words from confabulation

con·fab·u·la·to·ry [kuhn-fab-yoo-luh-tawr-ee], /kənˈfæb yʊ ləˌtɔr i/, adjective

Words Nearby confabulation

How to use confabulation in a sentence

This is most apparent in his discussion of the many forms of confabulation.
The Unpersuadables: Why Smart People Believe Crazy Theories | Kevin Canfield | March 16, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The constant disinformation, distraction, misdirection, confabulation, and endless stream of threats actually works.
Al-Dura Report: Smear Tactics That Work | Emily L. Hauser | May 24, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
The two girls put their heads together, and had a long confabulation.
The Jolliest Term on Record | Angela Brazil
One week certain mysterious persons would drop in, and sit in long confabulation.
Kilgorman | Talbot Baines Reed
He had eyed the three chiefs during their confabulation, and saw that the sailors were proceeding to pull his vessel to pieces.
A Woman of Thirty | Honore de Balzac

Here, by an odd chance, just as we came to the school gate, we met Mr Jarman and Crofter walking out in deep confabulation.
Tom, Dick and Harry | Talbot Baines Reed
Then Jake visited her, and, taking her out of the kitchen, had a long confabulation with her in the open.
The Night Riders | Ridgwell Cullum

Browse