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
When exposed to excessive heat for long periods, children can develop central nervous system (CNS) symptoms including seizures, delirium or coma; or non-CNS symptoms like tachycardia, tachypnea, vomiting or diarrhea.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025
While the original leaned hard into urgency and flirted with heaviness, the new take adds maximum peak hours heft, dialing up the BPM, isolating the vocals in just the right moments and eventually exploding into all-out, all-encompassing dancefloor delirium.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 21 Feb. 2025
This largely accounts for the onset of delirium along with sleepiness and the loss of appetite.11
As bacteria continue to multiply, the infection can spread beyond the bladder and urethra into the kidneys, causing a kidney infection known as pyelonephritis.
—Matthew Wosnitzer, Verywell Health, 28 Feb. 2025
By the end, the film’s glittery delirium funnels into a meta-inquiry of cinephilia itself, and the gender politics that run through it.
—Beatrice Loayza, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for delirium
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Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025
While the original leaned hard into urgency and flirted with heaviness, the new take adds maximum peak hours heft, dialing up the BPM, isolating the vocals in just the right moments and eventually exploding into all-out, all-encompassing dancefloor delirium.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 21 Feb. 2025
This largely accounts for the onset of delirium along with sleepiness and the loss of appetite.11
As bacteria continue to multiply, the infection can spread beyond the bladder and urethra into the kidneys, causing a kidney infection known as pyelonephritis.
—Matthew Wosnitzer, Verywell Health, 28 Feb. 2025
By the end, the film’s glittery delirium funnels into a meta-inquiry of cinephilia itself, and the gender politics that run through it.
—Beatrice Loayza, New York Times, 21 Feb. 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 14 Apr. 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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