Delude

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /dɪˈluːd/, /dɪˈljuːd/
• US IPA: /dɪˈluːd/, /dəˈluːd/
• Rhymes: -uːd

Origin

From Latin dēlūdō ("mock, deceive"), from de + lūdō ("I make sport of, I mock"). See ludicrous.

Full definition of delude

Verb

1. (transitive) To deceive into believing something which is false; to lead into error; to dupe.
• 2012, August 5, Nathan Rabin, TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “I Love Lisa” (season 4, episode 15; originally aired 02/11/1993), 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.
• BurkeTo delude the nation by an airy phantom.
2. (transitive, obsolete) To frustrate or disappoint.
• DrydenIt deludes thy search.

Synonyms

• (to deceive) deceive, mislead

Anagrams

• dueled
• eluded