1
: the quality or state of being mad: such as
a
: a state of severe mental illness
—not used technically
… fortifications against an inner darkness, the threat of madness that crouched above him throughout his life.—
Robert F. Moss
Robert F. Moss
b
: behavior or thinking that is very foolish or dangerous : extreme folly
an idea that is pure/sheer madness
c
d
: intense anger : rage
2
: any of several ailments of animals marked by frenzied behavior
specifically
: rabies
Examples of madness in a Sentence
He suffered a series of tragedies that nearly drove him to madness.
Her friends told her the idea was pure madness, but she went through with it anyway.
It was the height of madness for him to drive at such high speeds!
Recent Examples on the Web
Ophelia is driven to madness after the murder of her father and flaky romantic advances from Hamlet, and before long, takes her own life.
—Jaeden Pinder, Pitchfork, 3 Oct. 2025
Of course, title notwithstanding, this opener is as gleeful as the rest of the record, as Swift sings about being rescued from a descent into Shakespearian madness by her happy-go-lucky baller.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
Just as Gein claimed his mother's death drove him to madness and pushed him to commit horrific crimes to fulfill his longing to quite literally embody her, Norman's warped devotion to the late Norma is ultimately revealed as the trigger for his descent into psychosis.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
Against the backdrop of New York’s Hudson Valley, the film explores faith, madness, autonomy, and the fragile boundary between salvation and delusion.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for madness
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Jaeden Pinder, Pitchfork, 3 Oct. 2025
Of course, title notwithstanding, this opener is as gleeful as the rest of the record, as Swift sings about being rescued from a descent into Shakespearian madness by her happy-go-lucky baller.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
Just as Gein claimed his mother's death drove him to madness and pushed him to commit horrific crimes to fulfill his longing to quite literally embody her, Norman's warped devotion to the late Norma is ultimately revealed as the trigger for his descent into psychosis.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
Against the backdrop of New York’s Hudson Valley, the film explores faith, madness, autonomy, and the fragile boundary between salvation and delusion.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for madness
Cite this Entry
“Madness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/madness. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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