Deluded

dih-loo-did

/ dɪˈluː.dɪd /

Adjective

Meaning

  • Deluded means having false beliefs, mistaken ideas, or being misled into thinking something that is not true.
  • It describes a state where a person’s judgment is clouded by deception, misunderstanding, or unrealistic assumptions.

Examples

  • She was deluded into believing that the scammer genuinely wanted to help her.
  • His deluded confidence made him think he could win the competition without practicing.
  • They were deluded by false promises and unrealistic expectations.
  • It would be deluded to assume success without making any effort.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms Antonyms
Misled Deceived Illusioned Confused Foolish Unrealistic Gullible Aware Clear-headed Realistic Rational Perceptive

Word Forms

  • Delude (verb)
  • Deluding (verb, present participle)
  • Delusion (noun)
  • Delusional (adjective)
  • Deludedly (adverb)

Origin / Etymology

From Latin “dēludere” meaning “to mock, to deceive, to play with”. Formed from de- (down, away) + ludere (to play). Entered English around the 15th century.

Grammar Information

  • Used as an adjective to describe a person's mental state or belief.
  • Commonly used after be verbs:
    • He is deluded.
    • They were deluded by false information.
  • Often used in negative evaluations of judgment or perception.

Translations

  • Hindi: भ्रमित (Bhramit)
  • Spanish: engañado
  • French: dupé / illusionné
  • German: getäuscht / wahnhaft
  • Arabic: مخدوع
  • Chinese (Simplified): 受骗的
  • Japanese: 惑わされた
  • Korean: 속은 / 착각한

Idioms & Phrases

  • Deluded sense of grandeur – falsely believing oneself to be more important than reality.
  • Hopelessly deluded – extremely misled or unrealistic.

Related Words

  • Deception
  • Illusion
  • Misconception
  • Self-deception
  • Fantasy
  • Hallucination
  • Misjudgment