delusion

Noun

delusion (countable and uncountable, plural delusions)

1. An adamant belief in a falsehood despite incontestable evidence.
2. The state of being deluded or misled, or process of deluding somebody.
   • It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
3. That which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief.
   • Hess, always a muddled man though not so doltish as Rosenberg, flew on his own to Britain under the delusion that he could arrange a peace settlement.1960, William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany, New York: Simon & Schuster, →ISBN, LCCN 81101072, page 835
   • “Project Greenlight,” however, bore down on the soft underbelly of the movie business, focusing on the delusions and colossal blunders of first-time directors, seemingly selected as much for their unlovability as their talent.2007 May 24, Alessandra Stanley, “A Rose-Colored Reality Where Everyone Wins”, in The New York Times
4. A strong belief contrary to evidence.