unhinged

adjective

un·​hinged ˌən-ˈhinjd How to pronounce unhinged (audio)
: highly disturbed, unstable, or distraught
attacked by an unhinged extremist
Somewhere along the way, her pursuit of a hot guy turned into unhinged obsession.Cosmopolitan
"Is this a new brand of humour? Or is your brain really unhinged?" inquired Tommy.Agatha Christie
see also unhinge

Examples of unhinged in a Sentence

destined to become one of the nation's most notorious serial killers, he apparently became unhinged as a result of being abandoned as a young teen
Recent Examples on the Web
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In his nitpicking and narcissism, the relatability of his grievances and his unhinged methods of redressing them, Ron also resembles a younger, Middle American version of Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm antihero. Judy Berman, Time, 9 Oct. 2025 His team trailing 17-0 at halftime, Nagy became unhinged in the locker room, directing his ire at his offensive linemen and loudly questioning their manhood. Michael Silver, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025 The unhinged narrator, Lisa, is, like Harwicz herself, a Jewish Argentinean woman living in a small French village. Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2025 Attacked by an unhinged fan, quarterback Cameron Cade receives a lifeline when his football idol, Isaiah White, offers to train him. Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unhinged

Word History

First Known Use

1652, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unhinged was in 1652

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Cite this Entry

“Unhinged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unhinged. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

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