HEAD CASES Synonyms: 69 Similar and Opposite Words

head cases

noun

plural of head case

as in lunatics

a person having or showing a severely disordered or abnormal state of mind brought in a counselor to work with the student they worried might be a head case

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in eccentrics

a person of odd or whimsical habits an area of scientific research that's a good niche for social misfits and hard-core head cases

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for head cases

Noun

Republicans see an opportunity here, portraying progressive and socialist Democrats as lunatics and communists.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026
While sane Americans were celebrating the MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia on Tuesday night, the lunatics in Portland, Oregon were cheering along as two men made out on a baseball field during a 'Heated Rivalry' theme night.

— Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 July 2026

Definition of lunatics

Noun

No documentarian has a better eye for intriguing oddballs than Errol Morris, who built his feature film career on drawing them out in conversation, from pet-cemetery owners in Gates of Heaven to small-town eccentrics in Vernon, Florida.

— Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
Dippold has populated the show with lovable eccentrics played by great character actors—Dale Dickey, Jeff Hiller, Tim Baltz.

— Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 18 June 2026

Definition of eccentrics

Noun

If warm and dry conditions persist into fall, cool-season pests like rodents, Asian lady beetles, and boxelder bugs may show up later than normal.

— Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 25 Sep. 2026
One resident also reported bed bugs, though the report said staff didn’t change the bedsheets.

— Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of bugs

Noun

Beans, lentils, nuts and seeds still contribute protein and bring different nutrients with them.

— Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026
But nearly 90% fall short on seafood and more than half miss the mark on nuts, seeds and soy, according to the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

— Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of nuts

Noun

David extended a hand toward me (imaginary attacks by slow, handshake-wielding maniacs are a martial arts class staple).

— Johanna Stein, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
The odd thing about this choice is that, although the DSA’s platform is indeed chock-full of maniacal proposals, on this particular idea, the maniacs have a point.

— Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026

Definition of maniacs

Noun

Taissa Farmiga, who has played three different characters in the franchise, is among them.

— Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2026
Exactly 39 years after the debut of the iconic sitcom, a new sequel series hit Netflix on Thursday, blending a bunch of the beloved returning characters with a fresh class of freshmen.

— Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of characters

Noun

Like Rick Nelson’s fools, the Zellners also rush in where angels fear to tread, and their love for the bizarre, the cool and the crazy is, like the epidemic of emotions facing the Alpha Gang, wildly infectious.

— Damon Wise, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026
Some want to live vicariously through them, while others joke about the poor fools who fell for their tactics.

— Owen Carry, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of fools

Noun

Replacing the 5Select channel, 5Drama will launch October 21 with a collection of 5 originals, American imports and Australian series including popular soap Home and Away.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2026
The show joins a slate of forthcoming Hulu originals that also includes (among others) a Prison Break revival, pro football/family drama The Land and thriller Count My Lies, starring Lindsay Lohan and Shailene Woodley.

— Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of originals

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.

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head case

head cases

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“Head cases.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/head%20cases. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of head cases

noun

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