Delirium is a noun for a state of intense mental disturbancea state of mind that is upset, disordered, or unsettled. It can mean wild excitement or agitationrestless, nervous activity or emotional excitement, and it can also mean a short-term confusedunable to think clearly or understand what is happening condition in which a person may see or hear things that are not really there.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /dih-LEER-ee-uhm/
Easy pronunciation: dih-LEER-ee-uhm (approximate spelling).
Stress: Primary stress on the second syllable: LEER.
Pronounced for the noun meaning violent mental agitation or wild excitement.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Delirium Meaning
wild, uncontrollable excitement or mental agitation
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a state of violent mental agitation or wild excitement
Example: The crowd was in a delirium after the final goal.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- frenzy — A strong substitute for the excitement/agitation sense.
- hysteria — Can fit the sense of extreme emotional agitation, though it is often used more broadly.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Delirium
Meaning 2
a short-term confused state, sometimes with hallucinations
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a usually brief state of excitement and mental confusion often accompanied by hallucinations
Example: After the infection, he went into delirium and did not recognize anyone.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Delirium Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- frenzy
- hysteria
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not use delirium to mean a simple trend or fad.
- Do not confuse delirium with delirious, which is the adjective form.
- Do not mix up delirium as agitation with delirium as a medical state of confusion.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does delirium mean?
Delirium means either wild mental agitation or a short-term state of confusion, often with hallucinations.
What are the best synonyms for delirium?
For the agitation sense, frenzy and sometimes hysteria are the closest practical synonyms. For the medical confusion sense, there are no exact everyday synonyms in the supplied data.
Is delirium always a medical term?
No. It can also be used for a state of wild excitement or agitation, though the medical meaning is very common.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.