craze

verb \ ˈkrāz \

Definition of craze

crazed; crazing

transitive verb

1 obsolete :break, shatter

2 :to produce minute cracks on the surface or glaze of

crazed glass

crazed pottery

3 :to make insane or as if insane

crazed by pain and fear

crazed addicts

intransitive verb

1 archaic :shatter, break

2 :to become insane

3 :to develop a mesh of fine cracks

See craze defined for kids

Examples of craze in a Sentence

soldiers who had been crazed by months of combat and chaos in the countryside

Recent Examples of craze from the Web

Ryan Cremeens was a vibrant and sports-crazed 8-year-old who was in St. Petersburg, Fla., to visit his Uncle Pat and at Raymond James Stadium as part of a surprise Christmas present.

— dan wiederer, chicagotribune.com, "Zach Miller inspires 9-year-old cancer survivor: 'Ryan wasn't afraid anymore'," 5 Aug. 2017
However, for as Maryland- and lacrosse-crazed as the family's schedule is, the Reeses want to manage a quiet Father's Day.

— callie caplan, baltimoresun.com, "Doing it all: Cathy and Brian Reese balance coaching lacrosse, family," 17 June 2017
As the week’s crazed news cycle finally seems to be slowing down—maybe?

— laura bradley, VanityFair.com, "Seth Meyers Discovers the One Campaign Promise Trump Actually Kept," 19 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'craze.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of craze

Middle English crasen to crush, craze, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Swedish krasa to crush

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

craze Synonyms

Synonyms

crack, derange, frenzy, loco, madden, unbalance, unhinge, unstring

Related Words

agitate, bother, confuse, discompose, disquiet, distract, disturb, perturb, unsettle, upset; annoy, irritate, vex

Near Antonyms

calm, quiet, relax, settle, soothe, tranquilize (also tranquillize)

craze

noun

Definition of craze

1 :an exaggerated and often transient enthusiasm :mania

the latest craze in music

2 :a crack in a surface or coating (as of glaze or enamel)

See craze defined for English-language learners

Examples of craze in a Sentence

if history is any guide, this latest diet for losing weight is just another craze

Recent Examples of craze from the Web

Almond and Plum Bostock This decadent entry into the toast craze is really a traditional sweet sold in French patisseries as a way to use up stale brioche.

— jill o'connor, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Stone fruit harvest makes flavor-enhanced desserts," 29 Aug. 2017
Between the world wars, the British Isles were seized by a hiking craze.

— adrian daub, Longreads, "Here at the End of All Things," 24 Aug. 2017
If your least favorite thing about fall is the pumpkin craze, Dunkin' has an alternate cozy option.

— danielle tullo, Cosmopolitan, "Important: Dunkin’ Donuts Is Coming Out With Pumpkin Cream Cheese," 15 Aug. 2017
There’s a current Pinterest craze that features taking stock tanks and turning them into cutesy pools.

— by sherry kuehl, kansascity.com, "At water parks, inhibitions go slip-sliding away," 28 June 2017
The seeds were in the Jane Fonda workout and the Scarsdale diet, in the EST movement and the yoga craze that brought us Lululemon.

— amy larocca, The Cut, "The Wellness Epidemic," 27 June 2017
But that has not stopped marketers from pushing another nutritional craze.

— ferris jabr, Scientific American, "Do Probiotics Really Work?," 26 June 2017
This craze started with FANG — Facebook, Amazon, Netflix, and Google — the core four tech titans popularized by CNBC’s Jim Cramer in early 2013.

— luke kawa, The Seattle Times, "Bull market in acronyms reaches perplexing heights as tech soars," 24 June 2017
At outdoor concerts, the band handed out hoops to their fans and the hooping-craze was re-born.

— kirby adams, USA TODAY, "This is not your mother's hula hoop," 24 June 2017

Origin and Etymology of craze

see ¹craze

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1812

See Words from the same year

craze Synonyms

Synonyms

buzz, chic, fad, dernier cri, enthusiasm, fashion, flavor, go, hot ticket, last word, latest, mode, rage, sensation, style, ton, trend, vogue

Related Words

nine days' wonder (also nine day wonder); new wave; crush, infatuation; fervor, passion; furor, fuss, hullabaloo, to-do, uproar; bandwagon, crusade, cult, movement; novelty, wrinkle; caprice, fancy, whim

Near Antonyms

classic, standard

Synonym Discussion of craze

fashion, style, mode, vogue, fad, rage, craze mean the usage accepted by those who want to be up-to-date. fashion is the most general term and applies to any way of dressing, behaving, writing, or performing that is favored at any one time or place.

- the current fashion

style often implies a distinctive fashion adopted by people of taste.

- a media baron used to traveling in style

mode suggests the fashion of the moment among those anxious to appear elegant and sophisticated.

- slim bodies are the mode at this resort

vogue stresses the wide acceptance of a fashion.

- short skirts are back in vogue

fad suggests caprice in taking up or in dropping a fashion.

- last year's fad is over

rage and craze stress intense enthusiasm in adopting a fad.

- Cajun food was the rage nearly everywhere for a time
- crossword puzzles once seemed just a passing craze but have lasted

Other Paints and Dyes Terms

bloom, medium, size, vehicle

CRAZE Defined for English Language Learners

craze

noun

Definition of craze for English Language Learners

: something that is very popular for a period of time

CRAZE Defined for Kids

craze

noun \ ˈkrāz \

Definition of craze for Students

:something that is very popular for a short while

Medical Dictionary

craze

verb \ ˈkrāz \

medical Definition of craze

crazed; crazing

transitive verb

:to make insane or as if insane

crazed by pain and fear

intransitive verb

:to become insane

Learn More about craze

See words that rhyme with craze Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for craze Spanish Central: Translation of craze Nglish: Translation of craze for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of craze for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about craze

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Near Antonyms

craze

Definition of craze

Examples of craze in a Sentence

Recent Examples of craze from the Web

Origin and Etymology of craze

craze Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

Synonym Discussion of craze

Other Paints and Dyes Terms

CRAZE Defined for English Language Learners

craze

Definition of craze for English Language Learners

CRAZE Defined for Kids

craze

Definition of craze for Students

Medical Dictionary

craze

medical Definition of craze

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