Seeing pink elephants Meaning in English
expression · lemma: see pink elephants
Definition
To hallucinate or see things that aren't really there, commonly because of extreme drunkenness or illness. Used as an idiom for being delirious or imagining things.
Usage & Nuances
This is an informal, often humorous idiom. Usually refers to alcohol-induced hallucinations, but can be used more broadly for seeing imaginary things. Not used literally—don't say it for ordinary imagination. Common: 'He's seeing pink elephants' to mean someone is out of touch with reality.
Example Sentences
After drinking too much, he started seeing pink elephants.
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She was so sick she thought she was seeing pink elephants.
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Everyone laughed when he claimed he was seeing pink elephants.
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Don't worry, you're not actually seeing pink elephants—you're just really tired.
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If you're seeing pink elephants, it's probably time to go home and get some rest.
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Last night at the party, I thought John was seeing pink elephants after his fifth drink.
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