CONFABULATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does confabulate mean? 

• CONFABULATE (verb)
  The verb CONFABULATE has 3 senses:

1. unconsciously replace fact with fantasy in one's memory

2. talk socially without exchanging too much information

3. have a conference in order to talk something over

  Familiarity information: CONFABULATE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CONFABULATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they confabulate    ... he / she / it confabulates   
Past simple: confabulated   
Past participle: confabulated   
-ing form: confabulating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Unconsciously replace fact with fantasy in one's memory

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "confabulate" is one way to...):

cook up; fabricate; invent; make up; manufacture (concoct something artificial or untrue)

Domain category:

psychiatry; psychological medicine; psychopathology (the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

confabulation ((psychiatry) a plausible but imagined memory that fills in gaps in what is remembered)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Talk socially without exchanging too much information

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

chaffer; chat; chatter; chew the fat; chit-chat; chitchat; claver; confab; confabulate; gossip; jaw; natter; shoot the breeze; visit

Context example:

the men were sitting in the cafe and shooting the breeze

Hypernyms (to "confabulate" is one way to...):

converse; discourse (carry on a conversation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "confabulate"):

jawbone; schmoose; schmooze; shmoose; shmooze (talk idly or casually and in a friendly way)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

confabulation (an informal conversation)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Have a conference in order to talk something over

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

confab; confabulate; confer; consult

Context example:

We conferred about a plan of action

Hypernyms (to "confabulate" is one way to...):

discuss; hash out; talk over (speak with others about (something); talk (something) over in detail; have a discussion)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "confabulate"):

collogue (confer secretly)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

confabulation (an informal conversation)

 Context examples 

The two proud dowagers, Lady Lynn and Lady Ingram, confabulate together.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)