1
as in dementia
a serious mental disorder that prevents one from living a safe and normal life
his incurable insanity requires that he spend the rest of his life in a mental hospital
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in absurdity
a foolish act or idea
everyone laughed at the latest insanity from the town eccentric
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in madness
lack of good sense or judgment
had the insanity to think that taking over a government building in protest of our foreign policy was a good idea
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of insanity
Instead of gradually boiling into insanity, the film hits fever pitch hallucinations right away and quickly exhausts itself attempting to keep pace.
—
J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025
Working with Chhaya clients who were facing foreclosure, Mamdani got an intimate look at the little insanities of the city’s housing crisis.
—Eric Lach, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2025
Exantus was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity but was sentenced for assault in the 2015 case involving 6-year-old Logan Tipton.
—Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Oct. 2025
Gein was found guilty of murder, but in a follow-up proceeding was ruled to be not guilty — again by reason of insanity.
—Jr Radcliffe, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for insanity
J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025
Working with Chhaya clients who were facing foreclosure, Mamdani got an intimate look at the little insanities of the city’s housing crisis.
—Eric Lach, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2025
Exantus was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity but was sentenced for assault in the 2015 case involving 6-year-old Logan Tipton.
—Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Oct. 2025
Gein was found guilty of murder, but in a follow-up proceeding was ruled to be not guilty — again by reason of insanity.
—Jr Radcliffe, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for insanity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insanity
Noun
-
It’s linked to higher rates of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, digestive disorders, autoimmune disease, dementia, depression, Parkinson’s, cancer—and, of course, insomnia.—
Rowan Jacobsen,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Research published in the Journal of Sleep Research in 2021 found that people who commonly woke up in the night and had trouble getting back to sleep on a nightly basis—effectively depriving themselves of restorative sleep—had a nearly 40% higher risk of developing dementia.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Protesters have slammed the notions and multiple attendees wore inflatable frog and animal costumes to point to the absurdity of the claims of danger.—
Darcie Moran,
Freep.com,
18 Oct. 2025
-
These acts of radical playfulness—the inflatable dance parties, the music, the absurdity—have become part of the city’s moral vocabulary.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Molski has his own method to the madness.—
Kaycee Sloan,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
23 Oct. 2025
-
And what were some under-the-radar happenings in between that set the stage for the madness?—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Based on legal proceedings and real investigations, The Monster of Florence revisits one of Italy’s darkest chapters through the eyes of those accused over the years—the possible monsters—exposing how hysteria and speculation blurred the line between truth and myth.—
Isadora Wandermurem,
Time,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Bursting at the seams with pathos and hysteria, Bride of Frankenstein honors the source material with refreshing originality – an imaginative expansion of Mary Shelley’s novel has proven unsurpassable in the years since.—
Rory Doherty,
Vulture,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The Snack Homiez’ back-and-forth, soothing in its stupidity, reminded me of this Kate McKinnon-Aidy Bryant two-hander from 2021.—
Charu Sinha,
Vulture,
19 Oct. 2025
-
In Del Toro’s film, the creature isn’t rejected for his loathsome appearance but for his apparent stupidity.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The visual simplicity of mobile phone exchanges, personal photos and Fatma’s own images of her city and people, creates a sense of closeness and immediacy, drawing us into the daily reality of life under siege.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
24 Oct. 2025
-
This luggage set from Wrangler is built for travelers who want function, durability and simplicity at a solid price.—
Nora Colomer
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Watch the interview on YouTube and the clip about managing his schizophrenia below.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Ellis has a history of schizophrenia, and her defense attorneys entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, WKYC reported.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Advertisement Aster keenly satirizes Joe’s idiocy in the face of social upheaval through the iconography of Westerns.—
Robert Daniels,
Time,
10 Oct. 2025
-
But my naivete and idiocy about what this was going to take was staggering to me just six months later.—
Scott Feinberg,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Insanity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insanity. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share