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
The Shakespearean classic focuses on Macbeth, a Scottish general who makes his prophecy of becoming king a reality but then succumbs to madness.
—Alyson Rodriguez, Dallas Morning News, 29 Jan. 2026
March is always madness, but this month intensifies matters as Mars activates your relationship zone (between March 2 and April 9), bringing complexities, buried desires and unspoken resentments to the surface.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
Fennell's version of the book promises to lean into the madness and passion of Cathy and Heathcliffe's doomed love—and this quote kind of sums it up.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 28 Jan. 2026
Set into motion by an innocuous wish, the James family is forced to explore their generational differences, intra-marital conflicts, raging hormones, and professional anxieties, in a complicated web of body-swapping madness.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for madness
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Alyson Rodriguez, Dallas Morning News, 29 Jan. 2026
March is always madness, but this month intensifies matters as Mars activates your relationship zone (between March 2 and April 9), bringing complexities, buried desires and unspoken resentments to the surface.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
Fennell's version of the book promises to lean into the madness and passion of Cathy and Heathcliffe's doomed love—and this quote kind of sums it up.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 28 Jan. 2026
Set into motion by an innocuous wish, the James family is forced to explore their generational differences, intra-marital conflicts, raging hormones, and professional anxieties, in a complicated web of body-swapping madness.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for madness
Cite this Entry
“Madness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/madness. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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