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
-
No pretending to be too cool to be excited, just vibing and living in the moment.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
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Now Lomax is excited for future opportunities to work with other brands.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
His votes, like his tattoos, just weren’t insane enough anymore.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
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His voice messages of songs are amazing and insane.—
Kristin Robinson,
Billboard,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Obama’s enthusiastic showings for both candidates was a test of whether his sway over the Democratic Party still remains after his support for Harris failed to boost her to the White House a year ago and angered black male voters who felt unfairly accused of sexism.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Nov. 2025
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Thornton did not respond to our request for comment on this story, but IndieWire found proof of public interactions Bolea had with the actor, positioning them as enthusiastic supporters of each other’s work at a time when love for Art the Clown was spreading quickly.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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There's a reasonable chance that your Dem Senator who voted against it and is acting mad now was in on the play.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
10 Nov. 2025
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Elizabeth is the budding mad doctor’s fiancee, who’s dismembered under the blades of a rogue lawnmower in the opening scene of the film.—
Katie Rife,
Vulture,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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An avid pool-player, Rogan has interviewed Gorst on his show twice, including this summer.—
Jeremy Herb,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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Spooky season has come and gone, which means its time for some avid readers to begin making their winter reading lists.—
Cailey Gleeson,
jsonline.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Whitford hopes his team’s EEG test could eventually be used to assess someone’s risk of developing psychotic symptoms and hallucinations.—
Hannah Seo,
Scientific American,
10 Nov. 2025
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So Psykotic was supposed to be psychotic, obviously.—
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady,
Billboard,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The evil-doing in question is simple enough, at least for a franchise that has always been built around the existence of a clandestine organization of magicians (The Eye) who love using their skills to take down bad guys and quite literally share the wealth with their eager audiences.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
11 Nov. 2025
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Ghana has been one of the first countries to make major Article 6 sales, and some other African nations are eager to follow, Ali Mohamed, Kenya’s special climate envoy, told Semafor.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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What's even more disturbing is that the maniacal killer's mask is made of human skin, giving him the nickname Leatherface among horror fans.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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Huet succeeds in humanizing Daedone, who had an abusive father and a punishing childhood, and whose motivations come to seem understandable, if maniacal.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bonkers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bonkers. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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