delusion

/di'lu:ʤn/

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Word: Delusion

Part of Speech: Noun

Simple Explanation: A "delusion" is a false belief or idea that someone holds, even when there is clear evidence that it is not true. It often means that a person is deceiving themselves in some way.

Usage Instructions:

• Use "delusion" when talking about someone's mistaken beliefs that don’t match reality.
• It can refer to both minor misunderstandings and serious psychological conditions.

Examples:

1. Basic Example: "He has a delusion that he can fly like a bird."
2. In Psychology: "Some people with certain mental illnesses may experience delusions, believing things that are not real."

Advanced Usage:

• In psychology, a delusion is often a serious condition where a person firmly believes something that is not based on reality, even when shown evidence to the contrary.
• Example: "The patient exhibited delusions of grandeur, believing he was a famous celebrity."

Word Variants:

• Delude (verb): To mislead or deceive someone.
  • Example: "Don’t let anyone delude you into thinking it’s easy."
• Deluding (present participle): The act of misleading or deceiving.
• Delusional (adjective): Describing someone who has delusions.
  • Example: "Her delusional thoughts made it hard for her to distinguish reality from fantasy."

Different Meanings:

1. General Meaning: A mistaken belief or opinion.
   • Example: "His idea of becoming a millionaire overnight is just a delusion."
2. Psychological Context: A strong belief in something that isn’t true, often associated with mental health issues.

Synonyms:

• Misbelief
• Illusion
• Fallacy
• Deception

Idioms:

• "Living in a dream world": This means someone is not facing reality, similar to having delusions.
  • Example: "He’s living in a dream world if he thinks he can quit his job and travel the world without any money."

Phrasal Verbs:

• There are no specific phrasal verbs directly related to "delusion," but you can use verbs like "break out of" (to escape from a false belief) in context.
  • Example: "It took her a long time to break out of the delusion that everyone liked her."

Summary:

A "delusion" is a strong and often false belief that someone holds despite evidence against it. It can be used in everyday conversations about misunderstandings or more serious discussions about mental health.

Academic

Noun

1. the act of deluding; deception by creating illusory ideas
2. a mistaken or unfounded opinion or idea
   • he has delusions of competence
   • his dreams of vast wealth are a hallucination
3. (psychology) an erroneous belief that is held in the face of evidence to the contrary

Synonyms

• illusion
• head game
• hallucination
• psychotic belief