verb
hallucinate
huh-LOO-sih-nayt
Hallucinate (verb) means to perceive things that are not actually present, as a result of mental state, drugs, or illness. Example: “The fever made him hallucinate strange shapes on the ceiling.”
verb
1
To perceive things that are not actually present, as a result of mental state, drugs, or illness.
"The fever made him hallucinate strange shapes on the ceiling."
2
(of an AI model) To generate confident but false or fabricated information.
"The chatbot hallucinated a court case that never existed."
"AI models sometimes hallucinate citations that look real but aren't."
How to use hallucinate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo see or sense things that aren't really there — or, for AI, to confidently make up false information.
Common pairings
hallucinate details
AI model hallucinates
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- hallucinates
- Past tense
- hallucinated
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The fever made him _____ strange shapes on the ceiling.
Etymology
From Latin hallucinatus, related to a verb meaning "to wander in the mind" or "to dream."
Rhymes for hallucinate
See all rhymes for hallucinate →Frequently asked questions
What does “hallucinate” mean?
The word “hallucinate” means to perceive things that are not actually present, as a result of mental state, drugs, or illness. In plain terms, to see or sense things that aren't really there — or, for AI, to confidently make up false information.
How do you pronounce “hallucinate”?
“Hallucinate” is pronounced huh-LOO-sih-nayt (/həˈl(j)uːsɪneɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “hallucinate” in a sentence?
Here is “hallucinate” used in a sentence: “The fever made him hallucinate strange shapes on the ceiling.”
What part of speech is “hallucinate”?
“Hallucinate” is a verb.
Where does the word “hallucinate” come from?
The word “hallucinate” comes from Latin. From Latin hallucinatus, related to a verb meaning "to wander in the mind" or "to dream.".
How many meanings does “hallucinate” have?
“Hallucinate” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to perceive things that are not actually present, as a result of mental state, drugs, or illness.
