delusion

/dɪˈluːʒn/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈluːʒn/ (ame, ipa) · /di-ˈlü-zhən dē-/ (ame, mw)

delusion — 名詞

  • delusionsingular
  • delusionsplural

1. a belief or opinion that is firmly held but not based on fact, causing you to se

1.名詞B2
釋義

錯覺；謬見

對不真實事物的錯誤信念

a belief or opinion that is firmly held but not based on fact, causing you to see yourself or a situation in a way that is not real.

例句

Tomás was under the delusion that everyone admired him, even though his colleagues rarely spoke to him.

他誤以為每個人都欣賞他，即使同事們很少跟他說話。

under the delusion that + clause

The delusion that wealth alone brings happiness is common among people who have never struggled financially.

單靠財富就能帶來幸福的錯覺，在沒經歷過經濟困境的人群中很常見。

delusion that [clause] — noun clause pattern

同義詞
  • misconception

    less intense than delusion; suggests a wrong understanding that can be corrected with the right information

  • fallacy

    a mistaken belief based on unsound logic; more formal and often used in academic contexts

  • fantasy

    an imagined situation that you know is not real; less serious than delusion

反義詞
  • reality

    the state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to delusion

  • truth

    the real facts about something, opposite of a false belief

用法筆記

Often used in the pattern 'under the delusion that + clause', which describes the specific false belief someone holds.

常見錯誤

❌I had an illusion that I could finish the whole project in one day.
✅I had a delusion that I could finish the whole project in one day.
💡'illusion' usually refers to a deceptive appearance or a trick of the senses, while 'delusion' refers to a false belief held despite evidence.

2. the act of purposely making yourself believe something untrue, or the condition

2.名詞C1
釋義

自欺；受騙

欺騙自己或被人欺騙的狀態

the act of purposely making yourself believe something untrue, or the condition of having been tricked into a false belief by someone else.

例句

His constant spending was a form of delusion — he convinced himself he could pay off the debt later.

他持續揮霍本身就是一種自欺——他說服自己將來一定能還清負債。

uncountable use: 'a form of delusion'

The politician accused the media of practicing mass delusion by spreading misleading statistics to the public.

那位政治人物指控媒體對大眾進行集體欺騙，散播具有誤導性的統計數據。

同義詞
  • self-deception

    more transparent in meaning; emphasises that you are tricking yourself deliberately or unconsciously

  • deception

    broader in scope; can refer to deceiving others, not just yourself

反義詞
  • enlightenment

    the state of being fully aware and free from false beliefs

用法筆記

In this sense, 'delusion' is often uncountable and describes the mental action or process of deceiving oneself, rather than a specific false idea.

常見錯誤

❌The magician's delusion fooled the whole audience.
✅The magician's illusion fooled the whole audience.
💡A magician creates 'illusions' (tricks of sight), not 'delusions' (false beliefs held by the person themselves).

3. a fixed, false belief that is held with complete certainty even when clear evide

3.名詞C1
釋義

妄想

精神疾病中無法以事實矯正的錯誤信念

a fixed, false belief that is held with complete certainty even when clear evidence proves it wrong, often occurring as part of a mental health condition such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

例句

The patient experienced paranoid delusions that secret agents were following her everywhere she went.

該名病患出現被害妄想，堅信有祕密特工時時跟蹤她。

paranoid delusions — common clinical collocation

Dr. Okonkwo explained that a fixed delusion cannot be corrected by logical arguments or factual evidence.

Okonkwo 醫師解釋，固著型妄想無法透過邏輯辯論或事實證據來矯正。

fixed delusion — specialist description in psychiatry

同義詞
  • psychotic belief

    more clinical and technical; used mainly in medical documentation rather than everyday speech

  • fixed false belief

    a descriptive phrase used in diagnostic criteria to avoid the stigma sometimes associated with the word 'delusion'

反義詞
  • reality testing

    the ability to distinguish between what is real and what is not — the opposite cognitive function to delusional thinking

用法筆記

In clinical settings, 'delusion' is distinguished from 'hallucination' (a false sensory perception, such as hearing voices) and 'illusion' (a misinterpretation of a real external stimulus). Mental health professionals classify delusions by theme — paranoid, grandiose, persecutory, and somatic are some common types.

常見錯誤

❌He had hallucinations that the neighbors were plotting against him.
✅He had delusions that the neighbors were plotting against him.
💡'Hallucinations' are sensory experiences (seeing/hearing things that aren't there), while 'delusions' are false beliefs. Plotting involves a belief, not a sensation.