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craze

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verb

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
Opendoor , recently at the center of a meme stock craze, was also one of retail investors' favorites heading into September. Yun Li, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2025 While four-wheeled carts are changing the way small towns move, not everyone is on board with the craze. Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Verb
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 The exclamatory marketing epitomizes the desire of folks to post filtered photos of themselves on social media, connecting with millions who craze this basic connection to some semblance of the art world. Natasha Gural, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2021 See All Example Sentences for craze
Recent Examples of Synonyms for craze
Noun
  • The Price Tracker also sheds light on national trends.
    ABC News, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Believe in your authentic value, in your own development—don't let trends unsettle you.
    Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 11 Sep. 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 women were too busy cooking, crafting, and caring for the family to bother with the stone tools used by men in hunting and building.
    Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Why ban books, Postman asked, if no one bothers to read them?
    Time, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Long throws are in vogue again, so too is the big No 9.
    Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Like clothing, body styles go in and out of vogue.
    Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Like an amulet, or a bible, the immense and somehow lingering grief and rage flowing through it is with me everywhere.
    Sara Stridsberg September 15, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
  • The young man’s beauty, musical talents, and athletic prowess, however, belie volatile currents of desire and rage, which will eventually scandalize the community and unsettle Priscilla and Diamond’s faiths.
    The New Yorker, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Though the routine faced timing challenges, Richter's charm and enthusiasm won over the judges.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
  • For most companies and CEOs, the metrics would be preposterously out of reach — among them are an eight-fold increase in market valuation and a 30-fold increase in earnings — but that ignores Musk’s ability to marshal investor enthusiasm and pull off new product launches.
    Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • From red carpets to boxing rings, fashion shows to live concerts, stars filled every corner of the spotlight with style, power, and presence.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Patricia Astorga, the artistic director and founder of DanzArts, said that people who were not Mexican could come to the celebration and see the culture and the dance styles of different regions of Mexico.
    Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Craze.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/craze. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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