go berserk

phrase

1

: to become very angry and often violent

… the driver went berserk and started punching him when he told him they had called police.

—Rob Parascandola et al.

On one ski run, a teenage snowboarder nearly creamed a little girl, and [retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general Robin] Olds went berserk. The snowboarder took off with that old dogfighter hot on his tail …

—Ralph F. Wetterhahn

2

: to become very excited

The crowd was going berserk as the team scored with seconds to go.

My first day ashore at Hanna Point, I went berserk taking pictures of the chinstrap penguins.

—Vera Spooner

Examples of go berserk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That viral video made some fans think of Knight, who always found someone to blame for a loss other than himself and sometimes even went berserk during a win. — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026

This is the anti-DEI mentality gone berserk. — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2026

There were tangles of tubing that looked like ear anatomy gone berserk or a brass band in deep, deep trouble. — Eric Boodman, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2026

The home crowd of more than 10,000 fans went berserk. — Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 22 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for go berserk

• bodywork
• handiwork
• ironwork
• latticework
• masterwork
• metalwork
• needlework
• openwork
• overwork
• paperwork
• subnetwork
• telework