DELUDED Synonyms: 91 Similar and Opposite Words

deluded 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of deluded

as in erroneous

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

deluded

2 of 2

verb

past tense of delude

as in deceived

to cause to believe what is untrue we deluded ourselves into thinking that the ice cream wouldn't affect our diet

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of deluded

Adjective

Rather than a cruel Hedda, a fragile Hedda, a tragically deluded Hedda, Adele saw a woman who was comically at her wits’ end. — Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026 In Joe Mantello’s staggering new production of Arthur Miller’s 1949 American tragedy, self-deluded everyman Willy Loman (Lane) gets lost in the funhouse mirror of his life, haunted by the squandered potential of both him and his son, Biff (the revelatory Christopher Abbott). — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 3 May 2026

Verb

Instead, Weinstein told the jury, Nick Kassotis had been duped and deluded by the mysterious figure Jim McIntyre. — Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026 Atheists wrote that my father deluded himself. — Literary Hub, 15 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for deluded

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deluded

Adjective

The lawsuit alleges that South Dakota’s rollout of the proof-of-citizenship requirement has disqualified eligible voters over erroneous minutiae and failed to offer them a realistic shot at fixing problems with their registration application.

— John Hult, States Newsroom, 28 Aug. 2026
Towers told ProPublica that the audit had reached erroneous conclusions, that the auditors did not give him the opportunity to fully defend his work and that the journal’s willingness to stand by the study is proof that his research is sound.

— Amy Yurkanin, ProPublica, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of erroneous

Verb

Now some say the operation has left them feeling deceived and questioning whether the White House considered their safety.

— Scott Nover, Washington Post, 15 Aug. 2026
White House pool reporters deceived Advertisement McDonald pushed back on the idea that Air Force One and the people still aboard it, including journalists, were left exposed.

— Philip Wang, Time, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of deceived

Adjective

Travelers can place too much trust in a confident but inaccurate answer.

— Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Viral posts outlining ways to find AI tool hacks are now commonplace, but this also means an increase in factually inaccurate claims that are seen by millions of people.

— James Peckham, PC Magazine, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of inaccurate

Verb

We’re meant to learn from our mistakes and not get fooled a second time.

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 23 Aug. 2026
The uncomfortable implication is that the most dangerous credibility failures are not the ones where we are obviously fooled by something implausible.

— Big Think, Big Think, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of fooled

Verb

In the past couple of years, deepfakes have already tricked large firms like Arup into wiring $25 million to scammers.

— Allyson Kapin, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
In September 2025, a judge dismissed the lawsuit, noting that consumers could still enjoy the treats even if they felt tricked by the wrappers.

— Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of tricked

Adjective

With antisemitism at crisis levels, the Met honoring John Galliano at this moment was misguided, and even Galliano ultimately recognized what the Met should have done from the start.

— Denise Petski, Deadline, 31 Aug. 2026
Tech titans have defended their products and largely brushed off concerns as overblown or misguided.

— Christopher Cann, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of misguided

Adjective

Also, if the switch from side by side to one-front/one-back happened instantaneously, your brain would get confused about how to interpret the images delivered from each eye, since the setup would be quite different from what you were used to.

— Abigail Witmer, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
Critics of the move have been vocal, and many residents were left confused.

— Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of confused

Browse Nearby Words

delude

deluded

deludes

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Deluded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deluded. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of deluded

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

matriculate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes