madcap

adjective

mad·​cap ˈmad-ˌkap 

: marked by capriciousness, recklessness, or foolishness

madcap noun

Synonyms of madcap

• devil
• cowboy
• madman
• daredevil

Examples of madcap in a Sentence

a madcap scheme to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel

Recent Examples on the Web

Those concessions may not assuage all the concerns that Americans have about data centers — which are, after all, arguably proxies for other fears about the madcap proliferation of AI. — Sara Herschander, Vox, 5 Nov. 2026

O'Brien and Bashir were digitally pasted over the original actors in the former, while the latter was explained away by Sisko and Dax's madcap dash to find the elusive explosive tribble. — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2026

Hanna’s madcap life gave him plenty of material for storytelling, and his fertile imagination did the rest. — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026

The singer-songwriter’s seventh album is their wackiest and funniest to date, with a madcap gleam coursing through its synth-pop portraits of lovable weirdos and suburban dread. — Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for madcap

• bandgap
• bitmap
• blackcap
• blackstrap
• bootstrap
• burlap
• claptrap
• entrap
• foolscap
• kidnap
• kneecap
• mayhap

Kids Definition

madcap

adjective

mad·​cap ˈmad-ˌkap 

: reckless, wild

madcap noun