as in psychotic
unable to think in a clear or sensible way
a thoughtful movie about a demented man trying to survive on the street
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Recent Examples of demented
In a demented way to alleviate the burden on the shoulders of Kettle Springs, someone is dressing up as Baypen’s mascot — Frendo the Clown — and taking out his frustrations by slaughtering its teen residents in a grisly manner, which is not quite the welcome to the town Quinn was expecting.
—
Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
The pop culture universe became significantly less demented on Friday when Barret Hansen, aka Dr. Demento, announced his retirement after 55 years of playing novelty songs on the airwaves.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 20 June 2025
Like an orchestra led by some demented conductor, the clocks begin announcing themselves around 2 in the afternoon.
—David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 16 June 2025
Including: a Hitchcockian crime feature with high-fashion sensibilities, a culinary film that critiques perfectionism in a manner that would make Whiplash proud, and a wildly underrated psychological thriller with one of the most demented performances in recent memory.
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for demented
Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
The pop culture universe became significantly less demented on Friday when Barret Hansen, aka Dr. Demento, announced his retirement after 55 years of playing novelty songs on the airwaves.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 20 June 2025
Like an orchestra led by some demented conductor, the clocks begin announcing themselves around 2 in the afternoon.
—David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 16 June 2025
Including: a Hitchcockian crime feature with high-fashion sensibilities, a culinary film that critiques perfectionism in a manner that would make Whiplash proud, and a wildly underrated psychological thriller with one of the most demented performances in recent memory.
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for demented
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demented
Adjective
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The counselor also told police Trotman had had a previous psychotic break in which he was found wandering the woods.—
Peter Hermann,
Washington Post,
7 Feb. 2023
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Lewis prescribed Price anti-psychotic medication after a mental health referral Sept. 1.—
Thomas Saccente,
Arkansas Online,
17 Jan. 2023
Adjective
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Amanda learned in like 10 seconds, which is insane.—
Scott Roxborough,
The Hollywood Reporter,
24 Mar. 2025
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The emu egg—a two pound, eight-inch ovoid with a sultry teal shell gently speckled in pale green—seemed like just the right absurdist final flourish for an already insane endeavor.—
Helen Rosner,
The New Yorker,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Yet what starts as sensible due diligence becomes maniacal overpreparation.—
Melissa Sierra,
Forbes.com,
12 Aug. 2025
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The Redeem Team’s most entertaining stories revolve around Bryant’s maniacal work ethic.—
Skyler Trepel Published,
EW.com,
10 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Though it's deemed an accident in the play by Queen Gertrude, Ophelia was considered mad and the possibility of suicide was not ruled out.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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Instead, this is an ice hockey-style slide-and-bump affair; hitting an opponent from the side simply gives an annoying temporary jolt (which also disrupts their shooting motion) while hitting an opponent head-on forces a loose ball turnover and a mad scramble for the ball.—
Kyle Orland,
ArsTechnica,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This new version understands the overall assignment: bring back a few familiar faces; reintroduce your resident homicidal maniac hellbent on revenge; gather an insanely photogenic cast and kill most of them.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
16 July 2025
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Based on Roth’s fictitious trailer of the same name that appeared in Grindhouse (2007), Thanksgiving takes place in Plymouth, Massachusetts, where a masked maniac terrorizes the residents one year after a Black Friday riot ended in tragedy.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
19 May 2025
Adjective
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This definition also includes instance in which the victim is incapable of giving consent because of temporary or permanent mental or physical incapacity (include due to the influence of drugs or alcohol) or because of age.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Apr. 2025
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Search efforts have also taken a mental toll on rescue workers.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Demented.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demented. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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