What does delude mean?
"Delude" is a verb meaning to cause someone to believe something untrue, usually by fostering a false impression or exploiting their hopes and wishes. It is commonly used in the reflexive form "delude oneself," which describes the act of maintaining an illusion despite evidence to the contrary — for instance, deluding oneself that a failing venture will succeed. The word carries a distinctly negative connotation, suggesting not just honest error but a kind of comfortable blindness or willing suspension of reality. Its noun form, "delusion," refers to the false belief itself (as in clinical contexts like "a delusion of grandeur"), while "deluded" serves as the adjectival form. Derived from the Latin "deludere," literally meaning "to play against" or mock, the word has carried this sense of cruel trickery since it entered English in the early 16th century. It pairs naturally with prepositions like "about" and "into," as in "deluded into thinking."
verbTo cause someone to believe something that is not true, typically by giving them a false or misleading impression.
- To mislead someone's mind or judgment, causing them to hold a false belief, often through deception or self-deception.
"He was deluded into believing the investment was completely safe."
"Investors were deluded by the promise of guaranteed returns."
"Don't delude yourself into thinking she'll change her mind."
The Romans gave us 'delude' from 'ludere', to play — so when you're deluding yourself, you're literally being played with.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of delude
"Delude" derives from the Latin verb "deludere," formed from "de-" (down, away) plus "ludere" (to play), originally conveying the sense of mocking or playing someone false. It entered English in the early 16th century, retaining the core idea of deceiving through illusion or mockery. It shares this Latin root with words such as "elude," "allude," and "ludicrous." The related noun "delusion" developed slightly later and now carries strong associations with psychiatric terminology.
Related word forms
How delude is actually used
Formal to neutral register. Often used reflexively as "delude oneself," implying self-deception rather than active deceit by another. Carries a negative connotation of misplaced confidence or false belief. The adjective form is "deluded", describing a person holding such beliefs; the noun form is "delusion".
Easily confused with delude
"Dilute" means to make a liquid weaker by adding water, while "delude" means to deceive someone — they differ by only one letter.
"Allude" means to refer to something indirectly, whereas "delude" means to deceive someone into a false belief.