nutso

1 of 2

adjective

nut·​so ˈnət-(ˌ)sō How to pronounce nutso (audio)
chiefly US, informal
1
sometimes offensive : marked by thought or action that lacks reason : not mentally sound
2
: absurd
a nutso scheme
… guarantees that you make time for each other, no matter how nutso [=hectic, chaotic] your lives become.Michele Bender

nutso

2 of 2

noun

plural nutsos
chiefly US, informal, sometimes offensive
: someone who is not mentally sound

Examples of nutso in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
But many of his GOP counterparts are again indulging in magical thinking about herd immunity and nutso home remedies. Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 10 Sep. 2021 Come for Tommy, but stay for Crispin Glover giving a hilariously goofy performance as a geeky teen and busting out a nutso dance that deserves to gain a new life on TikTok one of these days. Brendan Morrow, The Week, 13 Jan. 2023 Eve involving a nutso plot, gallons of booze and some pretty catchy songs (with lyrics by Doctor Zhivago writer Boris Pasternak), The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath! Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Dec. 2022 Moviegoers with limber imaginations may well appreciate the lunatic ambition and nutso execution of this high-concept hurricane, which ricochets like a live-action cartoon for most of that duration. Peter Debruge, Variety, 11 Mar. 2022 Carrie—whose wardrobe has always been questionable—gave us ensembles that were deliciously nutso, just the right amount of bananas, all boleros and flower brooches and wedding shoes. Raven Smith, Vogue, 6 Jan. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nutso.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1941, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1961, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nutso was in 1941

Dictionary Entries Near nutso

Cite this Entry

“Nutso.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nutso. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!