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
  • The down-ballot race comes as insurers flee California, raise premiums and face backlash over wildfire claims, heightening stakes for homeowners, renters and businesses from Pacific Palisades to the San Francisco Bay Area.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Maine fishermen caught more than 78 million pounds (35 million kilograms) of lobster last year — a down year by the industry's recent standards.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of down
Adjective
  • There was also a stream of characters who visited the island, from a pop group to a movie producer, a mad scientist, and Russian cosmonauts.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Aug. 2026
  • There are a few pages spent on Deflategate (that made Brady mad), only a few paragraphs devoted to Aaron Hernandez, none on Spygate.
    — Darren Cooper, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of mad
Adverb
  • Meanwhile, wildfires have been blazing uncontrollably, most notably this week in the New Forest in southern England.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Hydroplaning occurs when a vehicle begins to slide uncontrollably on wet roads.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of uncontrollably
Adjective
  • Watching the first episode of Ultimate Girl’s Trip is like riding in a malfunctioning time machine.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Nuggets, wings, manchurian mix, lentils and chicken were stored above proper holding temperatures in a malfunctioning refrigerator unit.
    — Vince Basada August 7, Sacbee.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of malfunctioning
Adjective
  • Psychiatric disorders are generally divided into mood disorders and psychotic disorders, Osborne said; postpartum psychosis is a mood disorder, in which mood symptoms accompany psychotic symptoms.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • But to make some generalization that all career women are psychotic because Glenn Close happened to be psychotic at the end of that movie is just silly.
    — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 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 7-year-old has a broken leg, and his brother suffered a concussion, the family member told KGO.
    — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The groom suffered a brain injury and numerous broken bones, and had to undergo multiple reconstructive surgeries, his mother said in a GoFundMe following the crash.
    — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of broken
Adjective
  • And their friendship, a folie à deux spiral of insane ideas powered by ungodly quantities of pot, becomes akin to a superpower.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026
  • These mega facilities are popping up everywhere which means lots of people are spending insane money instead of pulling out the hose and bucket.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of insane

Browse Nearby Words

hayseed
haywire
hazard
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Cite this Entry

“Haywire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/haywire. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of haywire for Spanish Speakers

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