as in to consult
to exchange viewpoints or seek advice for the purpose of finding a solution to a problem
an Alzheimer's support group in which caregivers can confabulate as well as commiserate
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Recent Examples of confabulate
The errant or confabulated information that AI tools can generate is often referred to as hallucinations.
—
Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
These failures occurred when the AI models confabulated successful operations and built subsequent actions on false premises, highlighting the risks of depending on AI assistants that can misinterpret file structures or fabricate data to hide their errors.
—ArsTechnica, 10 Sep. 2025
Consider Samuel and Miranda in their hotel’s breakfast area:
The personnel dressed in white jackets the next morning were busy confabulating and joking with one another while cheesy loud music was playing in the background.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2019
Then Michael confabulated much longer and more fruitfully.
—Josh Rottenberg, latimes.com, 9 Oct. 2017
Confabulation seems to be more frequent in the face of repeatedly unpacking a memory; in other words, someone like EpicJourneyMan, who regularly ordered children’s videos and watched them to find damaged tape, is more likely to confabulate a specific memory from that material.
—Caitlin Aamodt, Discover Magazine, 16 Feb. 2017
Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
These failures occurred when the AI models confabulated successful operations and built subsequent actions on false premises, highlighting the risks of depending on AI assistants that can misinterpret file structures or fabricate data to hide their errors.
—ArsTechnica, 10 Sep. 2025
Consider Samuel and Miranda in their hotel’s breakfast area:
The personnel dressed in white jackets the next morning were busy confabulating and joking with one another while cheesy loud music was playing in the background.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2019
Then Michael confabulated much longer and more fruitfully.
—Josh Rottenberg, latimes.com, 9 Oct. 2017
Confabulation seems to be more frequent in the face of repeatedly unpacking a memory; in other words, someone like EpicJourneyMan, who regularly ordered children’s videos and watched them to find damaged tape, is more likely to confabulate a specific memory from that material.
—Caitlin Aamodt, Discover Magazine, 16 Feb. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confabulate
Verb
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Araghchi’s upcoming trip to Moscow is a sign Tehran will be looking to consult its partners in the Kremlin amid the conflict.—
Alayna Treene,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2026
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After consulting her ophthalmologist, who brushed off her symptoms, Inaba met with a rheumatologist who directed her to a Sjogren’s specialist.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Yet without laws allowing for domestic partnerships of three or more people, they are left spending thousands of dollars on attorney’s fees to craft a patchwork of legal agreements that afford just small fraction of the contractual protection conferred to married couples by default.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Work authorization does not confer any legal status to be in the country.—
Laura Romero,
ABC News,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In it, the king is expected to discuss the United Kingdom’s relationship with the United States over the last 250 years and how the two nations have worked together to achievements in science, economics, innovation, international security and other fields.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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Gulf leaders are scheduled to meet in Jeddah on Tuesday to discuss the conflict, the Strait of Hormuz, and Pakistan’s mediation efforts.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But past royal visits to Washington have sometimes gone awry − from amorous muskrats to a talking hat.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
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Before talking to the group, McFadden asked them to take a few minutes to interact.—
Steve Sadin,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Confabulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confabulate. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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