stir-crazy

adjective

stir-cra·zy ˈstər-ˈkrā-zē

slang

: distraught because of prolonged confinement

Did you know?

Stir-crazy originated as a word to describe a prisoner who became distraught after prolonged confinement. Stir is a 19th-century slang word for "prison" that some word historians have suspected to be from Romani stariben, of the same meaning. But a convincing argument of that origin has yet been made. Today, stir-crazy describes any person who has become restless, agitated, or anxious from being or feeling entrapped in some place.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Helping stir-crazy readers and offering a local alternative to certain omniretail monoliths? —

Peter Rubin, Longreads, 11 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stir-crazy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.