verb
delude
dih-LOOD
verb
1
To make someone believe something untrue, often about themselves or their situation.
"He deluded himself into thinking the business would turn a profit."
"Don't delude yourself — the deadline isn't moving."
How to Use Delude
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo trick someone, often yourself, into believing something false.
Common mistake
Usually reflexive in modern use — people "delude themselves" more often than they delude others.
Common pairings
delude yourself
delude the public
Word Forms
deluded past tense, deludes singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “delude”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
He _____ himself into thinking the business would turn a profit.
Etymology
From Latin deludere ("to mock, deceive"), from de- plus ludere ("to play or mock") — the same root behind "ludicrous".