ma·ni·ac
ˈmā-nē-ˌak
plural maniacs
1
informal
: someone who is or acts mentally unsound
especially
: a person who behaves in a wildly foolish, reckless, or dangerous manner
Don't drive like a maniac.
There was a high wire strung from one shore to the other and some maniac in ballet slippers and tights was walking the wire … —E. L. Doctorow
In The Bat Whispers the heroine is sealed in a dark room with a homicidal maniac. —Scott MacQueen
2
informal
: a person who is extremely enthusiastic about something
a sports maniac
Comic book maniacs and superhero look-alikes gathered at the Cross County Mall in suburban West Palm Beach to buy, sell and talk about the arcane world of comics.—Stefan Fatsis
ma·ni·ac
ˈmā-nē-ˌak
less common variant of maniacal
1
: affected with or suggestive of madness
maniacal laughter
maniacal energy
a maniacal killer
2
: characterized by ungovernable excitement or frenzy : frantic
a maniacal mob
maniacal fans
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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