delude

verb

di-ˈlüd How to pronounce delude (audio)
Definition of deludenext
as in to deceive
to cause to believe what is untrue we deluded ourselves into thinking that the ice cream wouldn't affect our diet

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb delude differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of delude are beguile, deceive, and mislead. While all these words mean "to lead astray or frustrate usually by underhandedness," delude implies deceiving so thoroughly as to obscure the truth.

we were deluded into thinking we were safe

When can beguile be used instead of delude?

The meanings of beguile and delude largely overlap; however, beguile stresses the use of charm and persuasion in deceiving.

was beguiled by false promises

When is it sensible to use deceive instead of delude?

The words deceive and delude can be used in similar contexts, but deceive implies imposing a false idea or belief that causes ignorance, bewilderment, or helplessness.

tried to deceive me about the cost

In what contexts can mislead take the place of delude?

While the synonyms mislead and delude are close in meaning, mislead implies a leading astray that may or may not be intentional.

I was misled by the confusing sign

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for delude
  1. deceive
  2. fool
  3. trick
Verb
  • More than 20 children are in the custody of a Southern California child-welfare agency as authorities investigate allegations of child abuse and whether surrogate mothers were deceived by a Los Angeles-area couple.
    — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 17 July 2025
  • And then he was wishy-washy, went back and forth, and she was deceived and disappointed by him.
    — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 15 July 2025
Definition of deceive
Verb
  • His impersonation is so convincing that Lu and Shin are initially fooled.
    — Allison DeGrushe Published, EW.com, 14 July 2025
  • The Mets couldn’t pick up his slider and were fooled on his changeup.
    — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 13 July 2025
Definition of fool
Verb
  • Luckily for Marian, much of Bertha’s attention is stolen by the unexpected arrival of her unsophisticated sister; Bertha’s too busy making snide comments and tricking her into wearing nicer gowns to even bother with Marian.
    — Andy Swift, TVLine, 13 July 2025
  • The offense is built on outside runs and tricking the defense.
    — Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 8 July 2025
Definition of trick
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Delphic
delude
deluded
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Cite this Entry

“Delude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delude. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of delude for Spanish Speakers

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