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disillusion

verb

/ˌdɪsɪˈluʒən/

IPA:

Dictionary definition of disillusion

To cause someone to realize that their beliefs or expectations about someone or something were wrong.
"He tried to disillusion her about her unrealistic expectations."

Detailed meaning of disillusion

It can be a painful experience because it involves losing faith or trust in someone or something. When you disillusion someone, you show them the truth and bring them back to reality. For example, someone who was once enthusiastic about a politician's promises may become disillusioned when they realize that those promises were not kept. Disillusionment can happen in any aspect of life, from relationships to careers to politics. It is an important part of growth and learning to see things as they truly are, even if it is not what we had hoped for or imagined.

Example sentences containing disillusion

1. His words will disillusion many who had faith in his promises.
2. The documentary aims to disillusion viewers about the realities of fame.
3. The students need to disillusion themselves from the idea that success comes without effort.
4. The harsh realities of adult life often disillusion young adults.
5. It took her years to disillusion herself from the notions of a perfect romance.
6. The critiques began to disillusion the artist about his talent.

History and etymology of disillusion

The verb 'disillusion' has a clear etymology rooted in both French and Latin. It combines the prefix 'dis-' from Latin, meaning 'apart' or 'away,' and the word 'illusion' from Old French, which itself comes from the Latin 'illusio,' meaning 'a mocking or deception.' Therefore, 'disillusion' etymologically signifies the process of separating or moving away from an illusion or deception. When you disillusion someone, you reveal the truth that contradicts their previous beliefs or expectations, making them recognize that they were misled or mistaken. This etymology underscores the idea of dispelling false notions or illusions, leading to a more accurate understanding of reality.

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Further usage examples of disillusion

1. The autobiography will disillusion fans who thought the celebrity’s life was perfect.
2. Her parents tried to disillusion her about the impracticalities of her dream job.
3. The economics class managed to disillusion several students about the ease of making money.
4. The coach's dishonesty began to disillusion the team about his intentions.
5. It is not my aim to disillusion you, but I must present the facts.
6. The news report tried to disillusion the public about the so-called miracle cure.
7. His mentor tried to disillusion him about the effectiveness of his approach.
8. Sometimes reality has a way of stepping in to disillusion us from our fantasies.
9. The documentary will disillusion many who believe in the innocence of the convicted man.
10. She tried to disillusion her brother about the glitz and glamor of Hollywood.
11. The trial was meant to disillusion the public about the true motives of the politician.
12. The book aims to disillusion readers about the common myths in history.
13. The scandal served to disillusion many of his followers.
14. The teacher didn't want to disillusion the children but needed to correct the misconceptions.