hallucinate

verb

hal·​lu·​ci·​nate hə-ˈlü-sə-ˌnāt 

hallucinated; hallucinating

transitive verb

1

: to affect with visions or imaginary perceptions

2

: to perceive or experience as a hallucination

intransitive verb

: to have hallucinations

hallucinator

hə-ˈlü-sə-ˌnā-tər 

noun

Examples of hallucinate in a Sentence

The patient may hallucinate if she has a fever.

Recent Examples on the Web

Google also recently added artificial intelligence features to Google Maps, which could have hallucinated the false traffic jams. —Ashley Belanger – May 30, ArsTechnica, 30 May 2025

Remember, AIs hallucinate: AIs have a nasty habit of making up facts and then making recommendations based on these non-existent facts. —Jeff Catlin, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025

While Sister Agnes reconsidered her relationship with God and Imogen and Peter hallucinated role-play, Masha spent the day putting David through various freezing situations. —Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 28 May 2025

Without seeing multiple views of the product, the technology would have to hallucinate certain pieces of it, which could make for an inaccurate rendering. —Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 14 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin hallucinatus, past participle of hallucinari, allucinari to prate, dream, modification of Greek alyein to be distressed, to wander

First Known Use

circa 1834, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

hallucinate

verb

hal·​lu·​ci·​nate hə-ˈlüs-ə-ˌnāt 

hallucinated; hallucinating

: to have hallucinations or experience as a hallucination

Medical Definition

hallucinate

verb

hal·​lu·​ci·​nate hə-ˈlüs-ᵊn-ˌāt 

hallucinated; hallucinating

transitive verb

1

: to affect with visions or imaginary perceptions

the patient is not hallucinated

2

: to perceive or experience as a hallucination

may hallucinate monsters or attackers

—M. J. Horowitz

intransitive verb

: to have hallucinations