What does "hallucination" mean?
A sensory perception of something that does not exist, often arising from disorder of the nervous system, as in delirium tremens.
Hallucination
/həˌluːsɪˈneɪʃən/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A sensory perception of something that does not exist, often arising from disorder of the nervous system, as in delirium tremens.
- Grammar: hallucination is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: aberration, agnosia, apparition, apparitions.
- Useful contrasts: veridical perception.
- Usage evidence: It might have been real. Or maybe it was just a hallucination. I really hope it was the latter.
How to use "hallucination"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "hallucination" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "hallucination" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "hallucination" as the right word for your sentence.
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "hallucination" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
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3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A sensory perception of something that does not exist, often arising from disorder of the nervous system, as in delirium tremens. countable, uncountable
"Hallucinations are always evidence of cerebral derangement and are common phenomena of insanity."
- 2 an object perceived during a hallucinatory episode wordnet
- 3 The act of hallucinating; a wandering of the mind; an error, mistake or blunder. countable, uncountable
"This must have been the hallucination of the transcriber."
- 4 a mistaken or unfounded opinion or idea wordnet
- 5 A confident but incorrect response given by an artificial intelligence; a confabulation. countable, uncountable
"Chatbots even forget that they are a bot and experience "hallucinations", Meta's description for when a bot confidently says something that is not true."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 illusory perception; a common symptom of severe mental disorder wordnet
Antonyms
veridical perception
Example
"It might have been real. Or maybe it was just a hallucination. I really hope it was the latter."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "hallucination"?
Common synonyms include: aberration, agnosia, apparition, apparitions, bamboozlement, befooling.
How do you use "hallucination" in a sentence?
It might have been real. Or maybe it was just a hallucination. I really hope it was the latter.
How do you pronounce "hallucination"?
Pronounced /həˌluːsɪˈneɪʃən/.
Etymology
Derives from the verb hallucinate, from Latin hallucinatus. Compare French hallucination. The first known usage in the English language is from Sir Thomas Browne.