auditory hallucination

noun

Meaning

The perception of sounds, such as voices or music, in the absence of an external acoustic stimulus.

Examples

  • Clinical assessments often screen for the presence of auditory hallucinations in patients reporting unexplained distress.
  • Experiencing an auditory hallucination does not automatically indicate a severe psychiatric condition, as they can occur during extreme sleep deprivation.

Synonyms: hearing voices, phantom sound, acoustic illusion, paracusis