berserk 1 of 3

adverb

Definition of berserknext
as in frantically
in a confused and reckless manner the familiar scene in horror movies where everyone runs berserk as the monster destroys everything in sight

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

berserk

2 of 3

adjective

as in ballistic

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

berserk

3 of 3

noun

variants or berserker
as in cowboy

Related Words

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 berserk
Adjective
This has unintended consequences when both Batel and Spock share a vision that sends Spock into a berserk rage. — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 31 July 2025 But that was before Watkins suffered a season-ending ACL tear and before UConn star Paige Bueckers went absolutely berserk, scoring 40 in the Sweet 16. — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2025
Noun
Peer in on the New York team making a medium-to-deep run in the playoffs as every New Yorker in your life goes berserk. — Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 16 May 2026 The crowd in Rio went berserk, and social media melted. — Bobby Ghosh, Time, 7 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for berserk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for berserk
  1. frantically
  2. ballistic
  3. cowboy
  4. wildly
  5. nuclear
  6. madman
  7. wild
  8. psychotic
Adverb
  • Once that became clear, Cashman pivoted to Stanton — hard and fast and perhaps even frantically — and made the big splash for the big man two weeks or so before Christmas.
    — Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 11 July 2026
  • In a darkly comedic twist, Beadie changes her mind after swallowing a lethal dose, and Jessa frantically calls the paramedics to save her life.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 7 July 2026
Definition of frantically
Adjective
  • The company said the spacecraft will support efforts focused on threats from hypersonic and ballistic weapons.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 14 July 2026
  • Eleven people were wounded in the capital, Kyiv, by an attack that used ballistic and cruise missiles as well as drones.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 11 July 2026
Definition of ballistic
Noun
  • Residents of Val Verde, a tiny town north of Los Angeles, claim Downtown LA Law Group used a cowboy recruiter to find plaintiffs for a lawsuit about a local landfill.
    — Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026
  • Back on the bus, Carlo lay on the faux leather benches, watching the FIFA World Cup and black-and-white cowboy movies.
    — Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 11 July 2026
Definition of cowboy
Adverb
  • Philly came ready to celebrate its slugging stars Phillies fans were wildly optimistic that Schwarber and Harper could somehow reach the final and crown the franchise's third Derby champion.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 14 July 2026
  • In these novels, the main character has been so absurdly addled by a (late-revealed) trauma that everyday human interactions are wildly aglow with (at first) terror or (later) manic-pixie wonder.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of wildly
Adjective
  • Chen’s work focuses on using seismological data to improve methods to identify and monitor nuclear tests.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
  • Combining nuclear energy with other sources To keep the overall system balanced, the state is combining this nuclear expansion with other energy sources.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 15 July 2026
Definition of nuclear
Noun
  • The garages at drag events are full of red-eyed madmen who have sold their houses and chased their wives and children away in pursuit of this.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 13 July 2026
  • Ozzy was the madman up front, usually singing brooding lyrics written by Geezer.
    — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 17 June 2026
Definition of madman
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
  • The Drug Enforcement Administration says kratom produces stimulant effects in low doses and sedative effects in high doses, and can lead to psychotic symptoms, and psychological and physiological dependence.
    — Jake Rosenwasser, CBS News, 13 July 2026
  • Those diagnoses included schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders, borderline personality disorder, post-traumatic stress syndrome, major depressive disorder, and bipolar or related disorders.
    — Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of psychotic

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berks
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Cite this Entry

“Berserk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/berserk. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on berserk

Nglish: Translation of berserk for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about berserk

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