hallucinate

[huh-loo-suh-neyt]

verb (used without object)

hallucinated, hallucinating 

1. to see or hear things that do not exist outside the mind; have hallucinations.

   People who ingested this fungus often hallucinated, seeing colored lights or hearing voices.

2. Computers, Digital Technology.,  (of a machine learning program) to produce false information contrary to the intent of the user and present it as if true and factual.

verb (used with object)

hallucinated, hallucinating 

1. to see or hear (things that do not exist outside the mind); have hallucinations about.

   In dramatic moments, the character hallucinates a very funny animated bear.

2. Archaic.,  to affect with hallucinations.

hallucinate

/ həˈluːsɪˌneɪt /

verb

1. (intr) to experience hallucinations

Other Word Forms

• hallucinator noun
• nonhallucinated adjective
• unhallucinated adjective
• unhallucinating adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hallucinate¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin hallūcinātus “wandered mentally” past participle of hallūcinārī, variant of (h)ālūcinārī “to dream, talk idly, wander mentally”

Word History and Origins

Origin of hallucinate¹

C17: from Latin ālūcinārī to wander in mind; compare Greek aluein to be distraught

Example Sentences

“They hallucinate and have trouble with reasoning,” he said.

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Fix these, fix the gaping security holes and stop them “hallucinating,” or making up their own facts, and many more businesses and individuals will be willing to pay.

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One idea was to poison Castro’s cigars with drugs that would make him hallucinate and act crazy.

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It hallucinated that my actual finish was the same as the target finish time it originally predicted.

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What good is AI that analyzes financial data if it hallucinates numbers?

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Related Words

• daydream 
• fantasize 
• freak out