disillusion

1 of 3

noun (1)

dis·​il·​lu·​sion ˌdis-ə-ˈlü-zhən How to pronounce disillusion (audio)
Synonyms of disillusion
: the condition of being disenchanted : the condition of being dissatisfied or defeated in expectation or hope
suffered romantic disillusions

disillusion

2 of 3

verb

disillusioned; disillusioning ˌdis-ə-ˈlü-zhə-niŋ How to pronounce disillusion (audio)

transitive verb

: to free from illusion
also : to cause to lose naive faith and trust
The job disillusioned her about working in retail.
disillusionment
ˌdis-ə-ˈlü-zhən-mənt How to pronounce disillusion (audio)
noun

disillusionment

3 of 3

noun (2)

dis·​il·​lu·​sion·​ment ˌdisə̇ˈlüzhənmənt also -sə̇lˈyü- How to pronounce disillusionment (audio)
plural -s
1
: the state or process of being disillusioned
the disillusionment of youth at the way the world was run—Agnes Repplier
another novel about disillusionment with communism—Granville Hicks
2
: an instance of being disillusioned
a study of the disillusionments of the Australian radio world—Leslie Rees

Synonyms of disillusion

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Verb

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Examples of disillusion in a Sentence

Verb Working at that store for six months was enough to disillusion me about retail work. we were disillusioned when we saw how the movie star acted in real life
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
There is no better tonic, no faster cure for disillusion. — Chloe Schama, Vogue, 26 Dec. 2025 The lyrics explored longing and disillusion, marking a thematic change for the band. — Sophie Williams, Billboard, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
We might be disillusioned with voting. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 16 June 2026 Though some are disillusioned with the United States, others forge ahead with their visits. — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 26 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for disillusion

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1591, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1855, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of disillusion was in 1591

Rhymes for disillusion

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Browse Nearby Words

disillude
disillusion
disillusionary
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Disillusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disillusion. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

disillusion

verb
dis·​il·​lu·​sion
ˌdis-ə-ˈlü-zhən
disillusioned; disillusioning
-ˈlüzh-(ə-)niŋ
: to free from mistaken beliefs or foolish hopes
a loss that disillusioned the fans
disillusionment
-ˈlü-zhən-mənt
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on disillusion

Nglish: Translation of disillusion for Spanish Speakers

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