delude

D2E1L1U1D2E1
UK/dɪˈluːd/UK/dɪˈljuːd/US/dəˈluːd/

verb

To deceive into believing something which is false; to lead into error; to dupe.

Similar
deceivemisleadlulllead oncozen
OriginMiddle English deluden ← Latin dēlūdō →
UncommonScrabble 8
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Meanings

verbdelude (third-person singular simple present deludes, present participle deluding, simple past and past participle deluded)

present singular third person deludes · participle present deluding · participle past deluded · past deluded

  1. transitiveTo deceive into believing something which is false; to lead into error; to dupe.

    To delude the nation by an airy phantom.

    1775, Edmund Burke, Speech on Conciliation with America
    1 more example

    Ralph Wiggum is generally employed as a bottomless fount of glorious non sequiturs, but in “I Love Lisa” he stands in for every oblivious chump who ever deluded himself into thinking that with persistence, determination, and a pure heart he can win the girl of his dreams.

    2012 August 5, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “I Love Lisa” (season 4, episode 15; originally aired 02/11/1993)”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name)

    Synonyms: deceive, mislead, lull

  2. obsoletetransitiveTo frustrate or disappoint.

    It deludes thy search.

    c. 1680, John Dryden, Dido to Aeneas

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo deceive into believing something which is false; to lead into error; to dupe.

Similar
deceivemisleadlull

More synonyms by meaning

verbbe false to; be dishonest with

Similar
deceivelead oncozen
Broader
victimizevictimise
Also see
cozendeceiveilludelead onmislead

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latindēlūdō“mock, deceive”
  2. Middle Englishdeluden
  3. Englishdelude

From Middle English deluden, borrowed from Latin dēlūdō (“mock, deceive”), from de + lūdō (“to make sport of, to mock”). See ludicrous.

More words from Middle English, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic غَرَّرَ, غَرَّ
  • غَرَّرَ (ḡarrara)to deceive
  • غَرَّ (ḡarra)to deceive
Bulgarian заблуждавам
  • заблуждавам (zabluždavam)to deceive
Catalan enganyar
  • enganyarto deceive
Czech oklamat, šálit
  • oklamatto deceive
  • šálitto deceive
  • ošálitto deceive
Dutch misleiden, bedriegen
  • misleidento deceive
  • bedriegento deceive
  • begoochelento deceive
French tricher, tromper
  • tricherto deceive
  • tromperto deceive
German irreführen, täuschen
  • irreführento deceive
  • täuschento deceive
Hungarian félrevezet, megtéveszt
  • félrevezetto deceive
  • megtévesztto deceive
  • becsapto deceive
Italian illudere, ingannare
  • illudereto deceive
  • ingannareto deceive
Romanian înșela, amăgi
  • înșelato deceive
  • amăgito deceive
Spanish deludir, engañar
  • deludirto deceive
  • engañarto deceive
Swedish vilseleda
  • vilseledato deceive

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with delude

includenudeviewedmoodexcludeconcludecruderudeJudeaccruedprecludebroodgluedqueuedsubduedskewedfodfeudchewedshrewdlewdBuderoodintrude
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

delude. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/delude

MLA

“delude.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/delude. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “delude,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/delude.

Source: delude on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.