1
as in excited
informal
showing urgent desire or interest
The friends are bonkers about the new video game, and play together for hours at a time.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in insane
informal + sometimes offensive
unable to think in a clear or sensible way
She spent her last years as a totally bonkers recluse in a decaying mansion.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bonkers
There were indelible clutch moments and absolutely bonkers endings.
—
Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
Tanyard Hill, located next to Coy Hill, is home to four warehouses built in the early ’60s that also apparently yield barrels with truly bonkers levels of alcohol.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 9 Nov. 2025
Graffiti historian Roger Gastman—who helped orchestrate MOCA’s record-setting Art in the Streets show in 2011—takes over a 40,000-square-foot warehouse on the edge of Chinatown for a totally bonkers street art experience.
—Marielle Wakim, Los Angeles Magazine, 21 June 2018
Hulu’s new show from the creator of Luther is a totally bonkers melange of sci-fi scenarios, global doom, and stabbiness.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2018
Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
Tanyard Hill, located next to Coy Hill, is home to four warehouses built in the early ’60s that also apparently yield barrels with truly bonkers levels of alcohol.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 9 Nov. 2025
Graffiti historian Roger Gastman—who helped orchestrate MOCA’s record-setting Art in the Streets show in 2011—takes over a 40,000-square-foot warehouse on the edge of Chinatown for a totally bonkers street art experience.
—Marielle Wakim, Los Angeles Magazine, 21 June 2018
Hulu’s new show from the creator of Luther is a totally bonkers melange of sci-fi scenarios, global doom, and stabbiness.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bonkers
Adjective
-
There have been attempts to cast a Real Housewives in Chicago and Napa, and Cohen was particularly excited about a version in Boca Raton, FL.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
4 May 2026
-
People are really excited about it.—
Aaron Parseghian,
CBS News,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Bringing his bag of insane tricks and witty banter to the Wilshire Ebell Theatre for two nights on May 8 and 9, Willman’s crowd work, storytelling and intricate tricks are inspired by everyday life.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Just this insane profanity-laden tirade that went on and on and on.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
After the Met announced the Bezoses’ participation, many social media users — who are the Met Gala’s most enthusiastic promoters, tuning into Vogue’s livestream and analyzing looks for days afterwards — called for a boycott.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
1 May 2026
-
Most Californians are no doubt still rightly enthusiastic about protecting our coastline treasures.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Fray was also mad at himself for cramping, which forced him to be substituted out of Saturday’s loss in the 66th minute.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
3 May 2026
-
Their ferocious poetry resurrects them, inviting other mad seekers to take up their story.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Appearing with her family at major events in the royal calendar, such as Easter and Christmas masses, Trooping the Color and the Princess of Wales' Christmas concert, the avid sports fan, occasionally slips into the stands at the Wimbledon and other events.—
Séraphine Roger,
Vanity Fair,
2 May 2026
-
Qualcomm co-founder Jacobs, an avid jazz and classical music fan, gave the festival a three-year donation of nearly $400,000 in seed money in 2024.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
Netflix’s bracingly nasty action-thriller Apex is a fine addition, plonking the star down in a rugged Australian landscape and throwing nature’s formidable might at her while stirring a psychotic serial killer into the mix.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Apr. 2026
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The risk of a psychotic disorder rose fourfold when highly potent weed was used daily, the study found.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Trump had used the act to plaster taxes on imports with eager abandon.—
Paul Wiseman,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Kay isn’t some kind of unhinged chaos agent or emotional thrill-seeker (well, maybe just a little), but rather an adventurous artist eager to dig deep beneath the surface.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
There’s one sound on earth that will never get old, and that’s Johnny Knoxville’s maniacal cackle when someone has been injured.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Bones is a pretty stellar action heroine, if only for her rah-rah speeches and her maniacal laughter in the face of men who seek to control her.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bonkers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bonkers. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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