Slang dossier
Delulu
Pronounced duh-LOO-loo
Playfully unrealistic or wishfully convinced of something, especially about a crush, fandom or an unlikely outcome. Short for “delusional,” but slang use is not a diagnosis.
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In a sentence
How it sounds
Illustrative examples
- “One wave from my crush and I became delulu.”
- “Thinking we will finish this project in ten minutes is delulu.”
Where teens use it
The habitat
Fandom posts, crush conversations and self-aware jokes about optimism.
Parent briefing
What parents should know
Keep a hopeful joke separate from serious distress or loss of contact with reality. Do not use the word to dismiss a teen’s feelings. A useful response is to ask what evidence supports the expectation.
Keep decoding
Related terms
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