megalomania: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Clinical, Academic
Quick answer
What does “megalomania” mean?
A mental illness or condition characterized by delusions of grandeur, power, wealth, or omnipotence.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A mental illness or condition characterized by delusions of grandeur, power, wealth, or omnipotence.
An obsessive desire for power, status, or extreme admiration; used figuratively to describe an exaggerated sense of self-importance or a grandiose personality trait.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Spelling follows regional norms (e.g., 'behaviour' in collocations in UK English).
Connotations
Identical strong negative connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in formal and journalistic contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “megalomania” in a Sentence
suffer from megalomaniabe accused of megalomaniadescend into megalomaniaborder on megalomaniaVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “megalomania” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- No direct verb form. Use 'to be/become megalomaniacal' or 'to suffer from megalomania'.
American English
- No direct verb form. Use 'to be/become megalomaniacal' or 'to suffer from megalomania'.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverb form. Use 'in a megalomaniacal manner'.
American English
- No standard adverb form. Use 'in a megalomaniacal way'.
adjective
British English
- His megalomaniacal behaviour alarmed the board.
- The general's megalomaniacal tendencies led to ruin.
American English
- She dismissed his plans as megalomaniacal.
- The CEO's megalomaniacal drive alienated his team.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used to criticise CEOs or leaders with overly ambitious, risky expansion plans driven by ego. 'The company's collapse was blamed on the founder's megalomania.'
Academic
A clinical term in psychiatry (DSM-5) and a concept in political science/history analysing authoritarian leaders.
Everyday
A strong insult for someone acting with extreme arrogance or a god complex. 'His plan to build a golden statue of himself is pure megalomania.'
Technical
In psychiatry, a symptom often associated with narcissistic personality disorder, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “megalomania”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “megalomania”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “megalomania”
- Incorrect: 'He is so megalomaniac.' (Should be: 'He is megalomaniacal' or 'He suffers from megalomania.')
- Confusing 'megalomania' (the condition) with 'megalomaniac' (the person).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in clinical psychiatry, it is a symptom of certain mental disorders, such as narcissistic personality disorder or bipolar mania. In everyday language, it is used more loosely.
A narcissist has an excessive need for admiration and lacks empathy. A megalomaniac has delusional fantasies of unlimited power, success, or brilliance. Megalomania is often considered a more extreme, potentially psychotic form of narcissism.
No. It is always a pejorative term, implying pathological and dangerous self-aggrandizement.
No, there is no direct verb. You use phrases like 'to suffer from megalomania,' 'to be/become megalomaniacal,' or 'to display megalomania.'
A mental illness or condition characterized by delusions of grandeur, power, wealth, or omnipotence.
Megalomania is usually formal, clinical, academic in register.
Megalomania: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmeɡələ(ʊ)ˈmeɪnɪə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmeɡəloʊˈmeɪniə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “drunk on power (related concept)”
- “an empire of the mind (related imagery)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: MEGA (huge) + MANIA (obsession) = an obsession with being huge/important.
Conceptual Metaphor
POWER/SUCCESS IS SIZE (Mega). MIND IS A CONTAINER (Mania as overflowing obsession).
Practice
Quiz
In a clinical context, megalomania is most closely associated with: