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
Liam Twomey got his teeth into the Marvel Comics-style madness of Real Madrid’s ‘El Loco’, Antonio Rudiger (above).
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 1 May 2025
The madness in the auditoriums has understandably irked theater operators and unsuspecting patrons, especially when one attendee brought a live chicken into a showing.
—Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025
After that, madness broke out behind the Lightning net, with Matthew Tkachuk in the center of all of it.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 26 Apr. 2025
Amid the madness of financial markets over the last two weeks, one particular move has caught many investors off guard — the sharp fall of the U.S. dollar and gains for the euro.
—Jenni Reid, CNBC, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for madness
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Phil Hay, New York Times, 1 May 2025
The madness in the auditoriums has understandably irked theater operators and unsuspecting patrons, especially when one attendee brought a live chicken into a showing.
—Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025
After that, madness broke out behind the Lightning net, with Matthew Tkachuk in the center of all of it.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 26 Apr. 2025
Amid the madness of financial markets over the last two weeks, one particular move has caught many investors off guard — the sharp fall of the U.S. dollar and gains for the euro.
—Jenni Reid, CNBC, 14 Apr. 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 5 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share