manic

adjective

man·​ic ˈma-nik 

: affected with, relating to, characterized by, or resulting from mania

had a manic personality

his manic work pace

manic noun

manically

ˈma-ni-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of manic in a Sentence

a manic sense of humor

Recent Examples on the Web

Bipolar disorder can also be calamitously exacerbated by SSRIs, causing manic or hypomanic symptoms. — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026

And while Foy is appealing as the indefatigable mother, Garfield leans too heavily into manic cutesiness as the endlessly chirpy father who at times seems less grown-up than his children. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2026

But put the Foo Fighters’ ecstatically manic frontman in front of more than 40,000 fans across the Potomac River from his hometown and Grohl is like a race car with the gas pedal locked down. — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026

Just before the pandemic, Manhattan’s MCC Theater staged a show called All the Natalie Portmans, about a gay Black teenage cinephile who envisions the actor as a kind of manic pixie imaginary friend. — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 17 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Greek manikós "mad, crazy," from manía "madness, frenzy, mania" + -ikos -ic entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1824, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing manic

• manic depression
• manic-depressive
• manic-depressive illness
• manic episode

Rhymes for manic

• bannock
• laennec
• panic
• stannic
• tannic
• aldermanic
• inorganic
• magellanic
• messianic
• oceanic
• pozzolanic
• talismanic

Medical Definition

manic

1 of 2 adjective

man·​ic ˈman-ik 

: affected with, relating to, or resembling mania

manically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

manic

2 of 2 noun

: an individual affected with mania