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
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
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
-
The underground pop of the 2010s used to get so excited about being online, using shrinky-dink artifice to delight in poking fun at a culture that could feel shallow and strange but also organic and endlessly renewable.—
Anna Gaca,
Pitchfork,
1 Oct. 2025
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Last year at this time, fans were excited that the 2025 Grammys looked to be a real horse race, with super-divas Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift and Chappell Roan all destined to compete in the top categories.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Continue reading … ORWELL NIGHTMARE – Joe Rogan blasts 'insane' media silence on arrests for social media posts.—
,
FOXNews.com,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The queen greeted this insane question with a politely regal stare, ignored my faux pas, and continued talking about financial inclusion.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Nash-Taylor congratulated her stepdaughter on a beautiful wedding in an enthusiastic tribute to the couple's special day.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
2 Oct. 2025
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When enthusiastic punters entered the online maze to reach the front of the queue, what would the damage actually be?—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Don’t be mad, and don’t try to hold them back with guilt.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Karl turned on the headlights and got the windshield wipers going at a mad slap.—
Ann Patchett,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Ken is among the most avid ruffed grouse hunters in the state.—
Worth Matthewson,
Outdoor Life,
2 Oct. 2025
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Amongst them is a championship poker player, a former COVID crisis nurse, a single father, and a couple of avid concertgoers.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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While docked in Florida, the troupe encounters trouble in the form of psychotic Twisty the Clown (John Carroll Lynch), a deranged murderer with a taste for sideshow carnage.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Oct. 2025
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Together, O’Neill and Alicia navigate a rabbit hole of deranged folk singers, psychotic cops, boxing promoters, line dancing enthusiasts, and worst of all, podcasters, the truth blurs, bodies stack, and the nature of their search comes into question.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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This isn’t necessarily surprising, given that the last four episodes of the season were released September 3, meaning most eager audiences are likely to have caught up by now.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
30 Sep. 2025
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Henry’s blend of swoony love and spicy romance with compelling characters has rocketed her to the top of the bestseller lists, and fans are eager to see how that might translate to film success.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Plus, Jeremiah had to still be winded by busting out that extended dance remix of his maniacal villain laugh from back on the beach.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 Oct. 2025
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In a desperate attempt to stop The Entity, President Erika Sloane (Angela Bassett) locates Ethan, who is now a rogue agent, and asks him to achieve the impossible by finding a way to shut the maniacal AI down.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bonkers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bonkers. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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