craze 1 of 2

craze

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verb

as in to frenzy
to cause to go insane or as if insane horses crazed by the barn fire kicked out their stall doors as they tried to escape

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word craze distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of craze are fad, fashion, mode, rage, style, and vogue. While all these words mean "the usage accepted by those who want to be up-to-date," rage and craze stress intense enthusiasm in adopting a fad.

Cajun food was the rage nearly everywhere for a time
crossword puzzles once seemed just a passing craze but have lasted

When is fad a more appropriate choice than craze?

The meanings of fad and craze largely overlap; however, fad suggests caprice in taking up or in dropping a fashion.

last year's fad is over

When is it sensible to use fashion instead of craze?

Although the words fashion and craze have much in common, fashion is the most general term and applies to any way of dressing, behaving, writing, or performing that is favored at any one time or place.

the current fashion

In what contexts can mode take the place of craze?

In some situations, the words mode and craze are roughly equivalent. However, mode suggests the fashion of the moment among those anxious to appear elegant and sophisticated.

slim bodies are the mode at this resort

When can style be used instead of craze?

The words style and craze are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, style often implies a distinctive fashion adopted by people of taste.

a media baron used to traveling in style

Where would vogue be a reasonable alternative to craze?

While in some cases nearly identical to craze, vogue stresses the wide acceptance of a fashion.

short skirts are back in vogue

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 craze
Noun
Hitting the new benchmark highlights the upheaval being unleashed by an artificial intelligence craze that’s widely viewed as the biggest tectonic shift in technology since Apple co-founder Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone 18 years ago. Boston Herald Wire Services, Boston Herald, 29 Oct. 2025 Boot Barn is raising its yearly guidance as well as its store opening targets as the Western craze shows no sign of slowing down. Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
The company also has embraced the cocktail-in-a-can craze and found success with beverages such as Jack and Coke in a can, the result of a partnership with Coca-Cola (KO). Paul R. La Monica, CNN, 31 Aug. 2022 Ford, which started the high-performance truck craze a decade ago with the F-150 Raptor, confirmed that a Raptor R version with even more power and torque will soon go into production. Bymorgan Korn, ABC News, 11 June 2022 See All Example Sentences for craze
Recent Examples of Synonyms for craze
Noun
  • These trends will have immediate electoral consequences.
    Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Other Indian cities with GCCs are seeing similar trends.
    Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The media frenzy about GLP-1 agonists hadn't yet started.
    Mara Gordon, NPR, 24 Apr. 2025
  • During the media frenzy the then-21-year-old held a press conference, delivering a heartfelt resignation speech.
    Janine Rubenstein, Peoplemag, 27 July 2024
Noun
  • These latests features are designed for enterprises who want to integrate their AI technology with either existing Salesforce data or even their own data.
    Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • The latests deaths included three residents of long-term care facilities in Dallas, as well as a Balch Springs man in his 20s and a Dallas man in his 60s.
    Dana Branham, Dallas News, 30 Apr. 2020
Verb
  • The clanging of dirty dishes being gathered in the back kitchen does not bother her.
    David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Instagram and TikTok are littered with stories of women and their unsupportive husbands, men who can't remember their own children's birthdays or be bothered to take a weekend off from their golf hobby to spend time with their families.
    Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Indie sleaze, the hallucination of a 2000s seedy-chic genre that never fully existed, is in vogue.
    Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Keep on doing the things that are going to actually bring about equality rather than the idea that the murder of a man (George Floyd) makes equality in vogue.
    Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • After pouring out all of Tallulah’s earthly possessions — loose cash, thongs, several vapes, Bubble Tape — Paulena takes the bag and flounces off, leaving Tallulah vibrating with rage and Maia quietly panicking.
    Caroline Framke, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025
  • For some, that rage appears to be driven by a sense of injustice that the UK national broadcaster has been the victim of a right-wing plot.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 10 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Experts in the field of veteran care share Worthington’s enthusiasm.
    Adam Stone, USA Today, 11 Nov. 2025
  • November 11, 2025 Chinese consumers were once flooded with enthusiasm over Valentine’s Day, the unofficial Cyber-Valentine’s Day (520) and tradition-rich Qixi.
    Yiling Pan, Vogue, 11 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Meanwhile, the David Lynch–style tension built by Will’s arrival just kind of fizzles.
    Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025
  • This take on tiramisu has all the flavors of a coconut cream pie but in the classic no-bake dessert style.
    Amanda Holstein, Southern Living, 9 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Craze.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/craze. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.

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