amok 1 of 2

adverb

variants or amuck
Definition of amoknext
as in frantically
in a confused and reckless manner returned to the classroom to find an escaped snake and her students running amok

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

amok

2 of 2

adjective

variants or amuck
as in berserk

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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 amok
Adverb
Also, po’ boys and gossip and volcanoes and, yes, a Frankenstein AI run amok. — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 3 June 2026 Some people ardently believe that AI and AI makers are being allowed to run amok. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
Adjective
Wyatt Russell has been terrific as this avatar of male insecurity run wildly amok, but the script isn’t always doing him favors. — Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2021 See All Example Sentences for amok
Recent Examples of Synonyms for amok
  1. frantically
  2. berserk
  3. wildly
  4. nuclear
  5. wild
  6. maniacal
  7. uncontrollably
  8. demented
Adverb
  • Catatonia Sleep issues Suicidal thoughts or behaviors Pressured speech — speaking rapidly, frantically or without taking pauses to breathe or let someone else talk.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Immediately, speculation arose that Walter is frantically trying to raise cash to pay off all those loans from the insurance companies to his affiliate entity companies.
    — Bill Madden, New York Daily News, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of frantically
Adjective
  • The small pockets of Egyptian fans in the stadium went absolutely berserk, jumping and ripping off their shirts as their team went bonkers below them.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
  • When the Spurs locked down Brunson, or tried, the ball went elsewhere, zinging around the court, from player to player, as if in a berserk video game.
    — David Remnick, New Yorker, 14 June 2026
Definition of berserk
Adverb
  • Fly’s brand of rap, defined by spare, steely 808 beats and club shoutouts, was wildly popular, spawning nearly 50 mixtape volumes and many more songs since.
    — Stephen Deusner, SPIN, 25 Aug. 2026
  • That may still be the case in the coming weeks, but the second episode of HBO’s Lanterns makes for a fairly solid (if simple and straightforward) follow-up with some wildly entertaining moments.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of wildly
Adjective
  • The heat has caused a fall in nuclear generation, with power plants forced to shut down or reduce production across the region, while wind power generation has been weak over the summer.
    — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In a blog post on Wednesday, Gates called for a new international organization to manage AI, drawing on elements from a nuclear inspections regime, international aviation regulations and ozone layer protection agreements.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of nuclear
Adverb
  • Two more runs scored in the fourth inning when Ohtani, Pages and Freeman strung together three consecutive two-out singles and Keller wild-pitched a run home.
    — Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 12 June 2026
  • First, like cucumbers, squash is a wild-growing vegetable that competes for garden space, according to Dilmore.
    — Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 9 June 2026
Definition of wild
Adjective
  • Especially after a clunker of a season in 2025, superstar receiver Justin Jefferson won’t settle for anything other than maniacal attention to detail on and off the field.
    — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 28 July 2026
  • The odd thing about this choice is that, although the DSA’s platform is indeed chock-full of maniacal proposals, on this particular idea, the maniacs have a point.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026
Definition of maniacal
Adverb
  • Meanwhile, wildfires have been blazing uncontrollably, most notably this week in the New Forest in southern England.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Hydroplaning occurs when a vehicle begins to slide uncontrollably on wet roads.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of uncontrollably
Adjective
  • Sánchez’s entry features industrious zombies hot on the tails of some cyclists, while Evans’ installment (the best here) deals with a demented doomsday cult.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026
  • Moments later, Haaland suddenly made one of his almost demented charges, at Senegal’s goalkeeper.
    — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 30 June 2026
Definition of demented

Phrases Containing amok

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Cite this Entry

“Amok.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amok. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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