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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

berserk

2 of 3

adjective

as in ballistic

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Dissimilar Words

berserk

3 of 3

noun

variants or berserker
as in cowboy

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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 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
  • 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 latter can also engage ballistic targets, giving it a role in defending against threats such as Chinese anti-ship ballistic missiles.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that his country is receiving substantially fewer Patriot defense systems, even as Russian ballistic attacks are increasing.
    — Sylvia Hui, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of ballistic
Noun
  • Her father, William Preston Bowling, who plays the elderly cowboy with the oxygen tank, was with her.
    — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026
  • But Woody the cowboy doll and Buzz Lightyear the action figure are not among the group assembled here.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of cowboy
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
Noun
  • Either Republicans will retain control of Congress, or enough Democrats (one hopes) will prevail so Congress can reclaim its authority over a madman executive.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Many writers travelled to Jonestown to survey the shambles and determine whether this was a utopian experiment gone astray or a madman’s fever dream destined to fail.
    — Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 14 July 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
  • But a poor reaction to her recovery medication kicked off a psychotic episode.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Psychiatric disorders are generally divided into mood disorders and psychotic disorders, Osborne said; postpartum psychosis is a mood disorder, in which mood symptoms accompany psychotic symptoms.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of psychotic

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Cite this Entry

“Berserk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/berserk. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on berserk

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about berserk

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