1. to mislead the mind or judgment of; to cause to believe what is false
Usage: transitive
2. to cause oneself to believe something that is not true
Usage: reflexive

Examples

• The con artist deluded investors with false promises of huge returns.
• Don’t delude yourself into thinking this will be easy.
• She was deluded by his charming exterior and didn’t see his true nature.
• The propaganda was designed to delude the public about the war’s progress.
• He deluded himself that he could pass the exam without studying.
• The mirage deluded the travelers into thinking they saw water ahead.