1
as in insanity
a serious mental disorder that prevents one from living a safe and normal life
nowadays certain forms of madness are quite treatable
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in simplicity
lack of good sense or judgment
to do something so reckless would be sheer madness
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in anger
an intense emotional state of displeasure with someone or something
her incessant insults goaded him to such madness that he would storm around breaking dishes and slamming doors
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of madness
This is a practically perfect translation, capturing the books’ madness, eccentric humor, and darkly inventive imagination — and Harris, of course, nails it.
—
Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Jan. 2026
One of the five treatment rooms is for couples, and my husband and I, weary from a week-plus of wedding madness, stopped in for a couples massage during our stay.
—Hannah Chubb, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Jan. 2026
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II anchors the madness, with Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 1 Jan. 2026
Events like this allow families to avoid any midnight madness and enjoy the rest of New Year's Eve feeling restful.
—Victor Jacobo, CBS News, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for madness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for madness
Noun
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She was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 2006 and was placed in a maximum-security psychiatric center in Texas, where she's resided ever since.—
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In addition, only 26% of defendants raising the insanity defense were found not guilty by reason of insanity.—
Noun
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Behind the classy presentation is a working-class spirit, one that honors the simplicity of showing up, being yourself and doing your job.—
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The rover’s two-wheel design reflects UEL’s emphasis on surface mobility and system simplicity.—
Noun
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Did the man go too far, or was his anger justified?—
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As Blacc hinted at, there is more than a little anger to go around about what happened before, during and since the fires, along with the sorrow and thousand other emotions.—
Noun
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Memory loss, cognitive decline, anxiety, sleep disruption, dementia and cardiovascular disease are all known risks of long-term alcohol use, as well as liver complications like fatty liver disease.—
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In order to fully get away with the crimes, Alice faked having dementia, so no one would ever suspect her.—
Noun
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Of course, no Kojima title would be complete with a little bit of craziness, but even the more far-out aspects of the game make more sense and are a thrilling part of the journey.—
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Eric had to absorb a lot of her craziness and unspent love.—
Noun
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Regardless of our paths — whether that meant escaping war in Ethiopia or being the grandchildren of Holocaust survivors — many of us labor under the belief that this work requires us to commit to the ideals of this nation and not the indignation and nightmare of the insurrection.—
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How else to account for the ferocity of the public indignation?—
Noun
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Your mother’s people, her father had told her ominously, on more than one occasion, are prone to hysteria.—
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The hysteria about a superior race, the insistence that all would be well if one insidious group was purged—those doctrines had been entirely defeated.—
Noun
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The four-time NBA championship coach flew into a rage, aggressively gesturing at officials and screaming.—
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Over the years, wallpaper has been all the rage.—
Cite this Entry
“Madness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/madness. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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