deluded

American

[dih-loo-did] / dɪˈlu dɪd /

adjective

entertaining a false belief or opinion; mistaken or deceived in mind or judgment.

While some deluded commentators welcomed this as "fantastic news," the rest of us were seriously upset.

verb

the simple past tense and past participle of delude.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of deluded

delude ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

If that’s the case, he is more deluded than he seems to think the rest of us are.

From Slate • Apr. 30, 2026

Jumping from that, to being given responsibility for a new line from a well-known company, would appear daunting to many, but Hamblin says he is "deluded enough to not really feel the pressure".

From BBC • Feb. 25, 2026

“Are they bigots? Are they deluded in thinking that they are subjected to unfair competition?”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 13, 2026

But she’s not the only one who is either deluded or lying about the implications.

From Salon • Sep. 5, 2025

“It’s your fault that he’s deluded himself into thinking I’m going to prom with him.”

From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023