haywire 1 of 2

adjective

ˈhā-ˌwī(-ə)r How to pronounce haywire (audio)
Definition of haywirenext
1
as in down
not being in working order The website went haywire when it was overloaded with visitors seeking tickets.

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mad
unable to think in a clear or sensible way She gradually went haywire with grief after the tragic death of her husband.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

haywire

2 of 2

adverb

as in uncontrollably

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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 haywire
Adverb
Robot meltdown — The LLMs also sometimes went haywire in unexpected ways. — Billy Perrigo, Time, 28 Oct. 2025 The Baltimore Orioles' season went haywire fast after a disappointing offseason that saw ace Corbin Burnes walk, and with no real replacement added to their pitching staff. — Hunter Mulholland, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for haywire
  1. down
  2. mad
  3. uncontrollably
  4. malfunctioning
  5. psychotic
  6. crazily
  7. broken
  8. insane
Adjective
  • If Rice and new running back Kenneth Walker can serve as the team’s early down answers that keep defenses honest, that should open up opportunity for Mahomes to finally see some open looks downfield again.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2026
  • While last year was a down year compared to the year before, Ovechkin still appeared in all 82 games and potted 64 points, with 32 goals and 32 assists.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of down
Adjective
  • Over the last few years, there are these sounds that have appeared in certain towns that have driven people mad, that’s actually happening.
    — Reshma Gopaldas, IndieWire, 9 July 2026
  • The scene played out across the soccer-mad nation as Egypt faced the defending World Cup champion in the round-of-16 fixture in Atlanta.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 July 2026
Definition of mad
Adverb
  • Hydroplaning occurs when a vehicle begins to slide uncontrollably on wet roads.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026
  • Hydroplaning is the term for when a vehicle begins sliding uncontrollably on wet roads.
    — STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026
Definition of uncontrollably
Adjective
  • The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has opened an investigation into the owner of a malfunctioning chemical storage tank in Garden Grove that has forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents as fire crews race to avoid an explosion.
    — Sean Emery, Oc Register, 24 May 2026
  • Despite the accomplishments, Artemis II astronauts had to contend with a more mundane problem -- a malfunctioning space toilet.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Apr. 2026
Definition of malfunctioning
Adjective
  • The Drug Enforcement Administration says kratom produces stimulant effects in low doses and sedative effects in high doses, and can lead to psychotic symptoms, and psychological and physiological dependence.
    — Jake Rosenwasser, CBS News, 13 July 2026
  • Those diagnoses included schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders, borderline personality disorder, post-traumatic stress syndrome, major depressive disorder, and bipolar or related disorders.
    — Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of psychotic
Adverb
  • And when Andreeva hits one of her crazily creative shots and turns to Martínez for praise, she is met with a smile, and maybe some clapping.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 4 June 2026
  • The scene used one of the film’s funniest visual gags, an apartment so crazily tilted that nobody inside it could stand up straight.
    — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
Definition of crazily
Adjective
  • The system now has to know when the caller has finished speaking, tolerate noise and accents, respond fast enough that silence doesn't feel broken and sound natural enough that people don't hang up.
    — Ran Inbar, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • During the 2024 season, Pasquantino had a broken thumb after a freak play against the Astros in Houston.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2026
Definition of broken
Adjective
  • What saves Hyperdrive is the dry humour and the slightly insane set and character design.
    — William Worrall, Space.com, 15 July 2026
  • Every single story about his time in Hollywood was about a major movie, a major director, and lots of drugs and insane scandal.
    — William Earl, Variety, 14 July 2026
Definition of insane

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Cite this Entry

“Haywire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/haywire. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of haywire for Spanish Speakers

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