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to delude

to delude

48 6.3
Make someone believe something that is not true
  • verb
  • /dɪˈluːd/
translation icon : engañar
  • The con artist managed to delude his victims into believing they won a lottery.
  • delude someone into thinking
  • delude someone into believing
  • delude oneself

Maybe I'm just deluding myself, but I think that.

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Examples

  • How do you know you're not deluding yourself?

  • It's no use deluding oneself with false hopes.

  • But it feels like the the administration helps you delude yourself longer.

  • That people that delude themselves that their job is so important, right.

  • How can you delude yourself?

  • I could no longer delude myself into thinking it was simply going to go away.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • We should not delude ourselves into thinking we all use it the same way.

    Academic text (2001)
  • Do you think there is value to deluding yourself?

  • But if I have no real gift, if I am only deluding myself, then I am wasting everything.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • If you believe you can enrich yourself by deluding others, you can only end by deluding yourself.

Synonyms

to lie
vsto delude
1.3

To say something that is not true to trick someone

focuses on causing belief rather than on the specific act of lying
to fool
vsto delude
704 2.1

To trick someone into believing something that is not true

is the broader term for making someone accept an untrue idea
to trick
vsto delude
326 3.5

To make someone believe something false so you can get what you want

is the general act of causing false belief without specifying method
to deceive
vsto delude
270 3.9

To make someone believe something that is not true to get an advantage

is the neutral term for making someone believe something untrue
to mislead
vsto delude
87 3.9

Make someone believe something that is not true

focuses on causing false belief broadly rather than specific tricks
to dupe
vsto delude
58 6.4

To trick someone into believing something false

covers any act that makes someone believe something untrue
to lead on
vsto delude
  • Informal
24 6.0

To make someone think you want a relationship or a future with them when you do not

is the general act of causing false belief beyond hopeful contexts
to take in
vsto delude
  • Informal
23 4.3

Make someone believe something that is not true

is the general process of causing false belief, not just stories
to bamboozle
vsto delude
  • Informal
11 8.3

To trick someone by pretending you want to help them

covers simpler deceptions as well as elaborate ones
to blow smoke
vsto delude
  • Informal
11 9.0

Say things that are not true to make people believe you

is the basic act of causing false belief, not only boasting lies
to play (someone) for a fool
vsto delude
  • Offensive
7 7.4

Treat someone as stupid to trick or cheat them

is the general act of causing false belief, not the insulting attitude
to fool everyone
vsto delude
4 3.9

To make all the people believe something that is not true

is the broader notion of causing false belief, not focused on audience size
to put one over on
vsto delude
  • Informal
4 7.9

To trick someone into believing something false

is the general act of causing false belief regardless of success tone
to put one over
vsto delude
  • Informal
4 7.8

To make someone believe something that is not true

is the neutral concept for making someone believe something untrue
to spoof
vsto delude
3 6.0

Pretend to be a person or website online to trick people

is wider, covering any false belief, not only imitation methods
to hoax
vsto delude
2 4.5

To trick people into believing something false

is the general act of causing false belief, not necessarily playful
to cozen
vsto delude
  • Archaic
1 9.9

To trick someone to get their money or things

is broader, including deception without a direct dishonest gain
to play false
vsto delude
1 8.1

To trick someone who trusts you by hiding your real plans to get something for yourself

is simpler, meaning to cause false belief without hiding motive detail
to con someone
vsto delude
  • Slang
7.7

To trick someone to get their money

includes such gain but also covers nonfinancial false beliefs
to put one past
vsto delude
  • UK
8.3

To trick someone into believing something false

is the overall action of causing false belief, not just success
to put one across
vsto delude
  • UK
9.0

Make someone believe something false to trick them

is the broader idea of causing false beliefs in any way
to flam
vsto delude
  • Slang
9.9

To trick or cheat someone by lying

is the overall idea of causing false belief, not the casual style

Antonyms

248 3.3

To make something clear so others can understand it

55 4.8

To give someone clear information to help them understand something

How Deceptive

to delude
48 6.3
to deceive
270 3.9
to mislead
87 3.9

Surface Forms

delude infinitive
deluded past
deluded past participle
deluding present participle
deludes third person singular

Morphology

delude = de + lud

Although the prefix 'de-' is recognizable, the root 'lud' is not a standalone English word and the modern meaning 'to deceive' is not transparently derived for average learners.

Etymology

Delude comes from the Latin parts de- ('away') and ludere ('to play'), and it shares the same root as illusion. So to delude someone is to 'play them away' from the truth — to trick them into believing something that is not true.