The way we communicate with one another has changed throughout the centuries. Words and phrases that were once used every day have now become a thing of the past. And thanks to social media, our vocabularies are expanding but now with shortened terms.

Nowadays, if you have charisma, you have "rizz." And to make sure someone is in on the joke, you may brazenly respond "iykyk."

If someone calls you "delulu," what does that mean? Depending on the context, it may not be a compliment. Here's the slang's definition and how to use it in conversation.

What does 'delulu' mean?

"Delulu" is shortened slang for "delusional." According to Merriam-Webster, delusion is defined as "something that is falsely or delusively believed or propagated." So, to be "delusional" means to have false beliefs about something.

The slang "delulu" often describes a person being delusional about something or someone they are a fan of, such as an actor or musician. Within online spaces, using "delulu" to describe someone means they have unrealistic ideas about their interest.

For example, they may be convinced they are going to marry their favorite musician because they made eye contact during a concert. The slang can also be used to describe a fan who acts out-of-the-ordinary or obsessively toward their preferred celebrity.

Broadly, "delulu" can describe anyone who has unrealistic expectations.

In other instances, "delulu" is used in a light-hearted manner, often in memes or social media comments, to poke fun at one's interests. It can be used as an adjective or noun depending on the context.

How to use 'delulu'

Here are some examples of how to use "delulu":

• *commenting on a TikTok edit* "I'm so delulu for Pedro Pascal."
• "That fanfiction has made her completely delulu."
• "If being delulu is wrong, I don't want to be right."

Just Curious for more? We've got you covered

USA TODAY is exploring the questions you and others ask every day. From "How to see deleted messages on iPhone?" to "Can flamingos fly?" to "What do turtles eat?" − we're striving to find answers to the most common questions you ask every day. Head to our Just Curious section to see what else we can answer for you.

Want to learn? Catch up on more text slang explainers: 

• What does 'rn' mean? Here are two definitions you need to know when texting friends.
• What does 'ily' mean? Show your loved ones you care with this text abbreviation
• What does 'OOO' mean? Here's what it means and how to use it when you're away from work
• What does 'EOD' mean? Here's how to use the term to notify deadlines to your coworkers
• Looking for slang explainers? Just 'lmk': Here's what the term means
• What does 'dw' mean? Here's the definition of the text slang and how to use it
• Ending a convo over text? Here's what 'TTYL' means and how to use it
• What does 'OP' mean? There's two definitions for the slang. Here's how to use it correctly
• What does 'gts' mean? Definition of text term and how to use it
• What does 'no cap' mean? Here's the definition of the slang term and how to use it
• What does 'WYLL' mean? Here's what the text slang stands for and how to use it
• What does 'WTV' mean? The definition of the texting abbreviation, plus how to use it
• What does 'IMO' mean? Make sure you're using this internet, texting acronym correctly
• What does 'tbh' mean? Here's what the acronym means and how to use it in conversation
• What does 'wyd' mean? What it means and how to use the acronym correctly in conversation
• What does 'AFK' mean? And examples of how to use it when texting friends
• What does 'OTP' mean? Breaking down the fandom term, slang
• What does 'fwiw' mean? The acronym's definition and how to use it in your conversations
• What does 'smh' mean? Defining the texting acronym and how to use it in your conversations
• What does 'ICYMI' mean? Here's what it means and examples of it used in conversation
• What does 'ngl' mean? Make sure you're using this internet, texting acronym correctly
• What does 'hmu' mean? Get to know Internet, texting acronym
• What does 'tbh' mean? Here's what the acronym means and how to use it in conversation
• What does 'POV' mean? Breaking down the definition of the abbreviation
• What does 'idk' mean? What the texting slang means and how to use in conversation
• What does 'mid' mean? Here's what the internet slang term means and how to use it
• What does 'OG' mean? Here is what the slang means and how to use it correctly