1
as in dementia
a serious mental disorder that prevents one from living a safe and normal life
his incurable insanity requires that he spend the rest of his life in a mental hospital
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in absurdity
a foolish act or idea
everyone laughed at the latest insanity from the town eccentric
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in madness
lack of good sense or judgment
had the insanity to think that taking over a government building in protest of our foreign policy was a good idea
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of insanity
What’s that old saying about the definition of insanity.
—
Editorial, Boston Herald, 25 Jan. 2026
In that case, Bojeh was found not guilty by reason of insanity and later released under conditional supervision.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Many of us can recall in the 1960s that Communist China was going through a period of insanity and chaos called The Cultural Revolution.
—Arkansas Online, 22 Jan. 2026
Dominguez has pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for insanity
Editorial, Boston Herald, 25 Jan. 2026
In that case, Bojeh was found not guilty by reason of insanity and later released under conditional supervision.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Many of us can recall in the 1960s that Communist China was going through a period of insanity and chaos called The Cultural Revolution.
—Arkansas Online, 22 Jan. 2026
Dominguez has pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for insanity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insanity
Noun
-
Bruce was diagnosed with dementia in 2023 and has been living separately from his family with full-time care since 2025, as the couple has two young girls living at home.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Under the program, younger inmates are trained to care for elderly prisoners living with dementia.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
She’s built a career on candid takes about relationships, work and the absurdities of everyday life, delivered with her trademark mix of bluntness and charm.—
Travis Pinson,
Dallas Morning News,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The extended version gives the characters room to deepen their over-the-top backstory while leaning further into spectacle and absurdity.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
There are, however, some relevant differences between the situations of our two oldest presidents, likely reflective of the differences between senility and madness.—
Bradley Gitz,
Arkansas Online,
2 Feb. 2026
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Her characters often demonstrated how quickly and seamlessly a cyclone of cheerful mannerisms could morph into a wailing typhoon of uncorked madness.—
Merrill Markoe,
Rolling Stone,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Emily Mendenhall traces the medical myths, gender bias, and neurological truths behind hysteria, one of history’s most damaging diagnoses.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Her hysteria frightens me and demands to be taken care of.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Huw just spazzes out most of the time, and Patrick is incredibly transparent and succeeds more because of luck and the stupidity of others rather than his own intellect.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
My love of the theater and my love of the people who dedicate their life to creativity and the kind of highs and lows of that life, and the silliness and stupidity of that life, and the moments of elegiac grace.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Warm minimalism blends simplicity with warm neutrals and natural materials to feel more inviting.—
Erica Puisis,
The Spruce,
31 Jan. 2026
-
This year, that simplicity may see a resurgence.—
Heather Bien,
Martha Stewart,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The current edition, DSM-5-TR, contains more than 300 distinct mental disorders such as schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder and alcohol use disorder.—
Jen Christensen,
CNN Money,
28 Jan. 2026
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But providers might not have enough information available to make a correct diagnosis; an emergency room doctor treating someone experiencing a psychotic episode likely doesn’t have the capacity to know if their diagnosis should be schizophrenia, bipolar I or something else.—
Allison Parshall,
Scientific American,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Harry and Finis refused to play Jack Donahoe’s game of commenting on every idiocy that came across their desks.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Telling the story of the clashing egos and raging idiocy of the fictional Spinal Tap, Reiner both directed and starred as the filmmaker-within-the-film Marty DiBergi.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
15 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Insanity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insanity. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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