delirium
noun
de·lir·i·um
di-ˈlir-ē-əm 
1
: an acute (see acute sense 1a(2)) mental disturbance characterized by confused thinking and disrupted attention usually accompanied by disordered speech and hallucinations
2
: frenzied excitement
he would stride about his room in a delirium of joy—
Thomas Wolfe
Thomas Wolfea crowd in a state of delirium
Synonyms
Examples of delirium in a Sentence
In her delirium, nothing she said made any sense.
shoppers running around in a delirium the day before Christmas
Recent Examples on the Web
Such is the delirium of an NFL team starting to hit its stride at the right time.
—Austin Knoblauch, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2024
The high didn’t last long, as losses to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest turned delirium into depression for United fans.
—Alex Tabet, NBC News, 15 Dec. 2024
But in 1956, children and adults began falling ill with convulsions, delirium, loss of muscle control, drooling, and tremors.
—Sallie Tisdale, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
An imbalance of neurotransmitters can cause delirium in some people.
—Janelle McSwiggin, Msn, Health, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for delirium 
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Austin Knoblauch, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2024
The high didn’t last long, as losses to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest turned delirium into depression for United fans.
—Alex Tabet, NBC News, 15 Dec. 2024
But in 1956, children and adults began falling ill with convulsions, delirium, loss of muscle control, drooling, and tremors.
—Sallie Tisdale, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
An imbalance of neurotransmitters can cause delirium in some people.
—Janelle McSwiggin, Msn, Health, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for delirium
Dictionary Entries Near delirium
Cite this Entry
“Delirium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delirium. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
delirium
noun
de·lir·i·um
di-ˈlir-ē-əm
1
: a mental disturbance marked by confusion, disturbed speech, and hallucinations
2
: wild excitement
Medical Definition
delirium
noun
de·lir·i·um
di-ˈlir-ē-əm
: an acute (see acute sense 2b(1)) mental disturbance characterized by confused thinking and disrupted attention usually accompanied by disordered speech and hallucinations
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