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
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
The film’s final reveal is one last turning of the knife in Lapid’s incisive, combustible critique of a country ensnared in the delirium of war.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 21 Oct. 2025
Hit hit his third bomb – a 427-foot shot to center field – in the seventh inning, pushing the Dodgers’ lead to 5-0 and sending the stadium into delirium.
—Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 18 Oct. 2025
The band that once was arguably rock’s greatest is going out on a high that is still a hell of a lot closer to delirium than resignation.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 20 Sep. 2025
The result is a book of willful delirium, one that deconstructs its own narrative.
—Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for delirium
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Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 21 Oct. 2025
Hit hit his third bomb – a 427-foot shot to center field – in the seventh inning, pushing the Dodgers’ lead to 5-0 and sending the stadium into delirium.
—Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 18 Oct. 2025
The band that once was arguably rock’s greatest is going out on a high that is still a hell of a lot closer to delirium than resignation.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 20 Sep. 2025
The result is a book of willful delirium, one that deconstructs its own narrative.
—Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for delirium
Cite this Entry
“Delirium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delirium. Accessed 4 Nov. 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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