1
as in mad
unable to think in a clear or sensible way
After learning of the robbery, they were insane with anger and foolishly searched the neighborhood looking for their belongings.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in absurd
conceived or made without regard for reason or reality
a completely insane plan to build an opera house in the middle of nowhere
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stupid
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment
an insane plan to blow all of their savings on lottery tickets
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in excessive
going beyond a normal or acceptable limit in degree or amount
wanted an insane amount of money to paint our house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 insane
After eighteen months of crisis that saw historic urban fires, harassment by federal immigration authorities, and the generalized anxiety that attends a place where rents are high and services low, public transit inadequate and gas prices insane, the city’s vitality is flagging.
—
Dana Goodyear, New Yorker, 4 June 2026
Lots of wires, lots of insane stunts.
—Entertainment Weekly, 3 June 2026
California has set up a system that creates an insane amount of work for county employees if voters wait until Election Day to vote with a mail ballot, but that doesn’t justify pressuring Californians to vote early.
—Susan Shelley, Oc Register, 3 June 2026
Goldman Sachs has an insane World Cup prediction bracket that says Spain will win.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for insane
Dana Goodyear, New Yorker, 4 June 2026
Lots of wires, lots of insane stunts.
—Entertainment Weekly, 3 June 2026
California has set up a system that creates an insane amount of work for county employees if voters wait until Election Day to vote with a mail ballot, but that doesn’t justify pressuring Californians to vote early.
—Susan Shelley, Oc Register, 3 June 2026
Goldman Sachs has an insane World Cup prediction bracket that says Spain will win.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for insane
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insane
Adjective
-
The next morning, my feet began to itch like mad.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
-
None of that would've been possible without the vision that Clay Travis laid out to me early in 2020 as the world was about to go mad.—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
Soon my entire feed was pugs and poodles and beagles and portmanteau blends with absurd names like golden doodle and cavapoo.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
Produced by Heavy Lifting Productions in association with 3 Arts Entertainment, Knighted follows a missing person’s case that spirals into an absurd documentary-style exploration of the sinister secrets lurking beneath the enchanting pageantry of a local medieval dinner theatre.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Fans wear their favorite players’ name, beg for their autograph and spend stupid amounts of money just to be in their proximity.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
-
Not every bee was successful, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s such a thing as a stupid bumblebee, Loukola says.—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
The federal government's warning about the dangers of excessive screen time is sending shockwaves through households and classrooms alike, drawing comparisons to public health crises of the past.—
La'Tasha Givens,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
-
Social media users have documented taking excessive amounts of diphenhydramine in an attempt to overcome the medication's drowsy effects and experience a euphoric feeling.—
Youri Benadjaoud,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Bardem is captivating and formidable, grinning with maniacal glee at his every act of depravity and the fear and anguish of his victims.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
-
No, Kenny Atkinson insisted a bug was taking his voice, not the Detroit Pistons and this maniacal Game 5 victory.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Then, to make the situation more bizarre, Arnaldi and Cobolli held a press conference together in the same room despite the former being sick and the latter being two days away from playing in a Grand Slam final.—
Lev Akabas,
Sportico.com,
7 June 2026
-
The astronauts reported bizarre smells, and had issues flushing urine outside the spacecraft as designed.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
The awards and their accompanying speeches are the best promotional tools potential winners have in their arsenal, especially in an era when Broadway economics have gotten crazier by the year.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
-
The world is crazy right now, so how does Paul Rudd unwind?—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
However, rather than moving in any extreme direction, Korkmaz said the Turkish mill is seeing demand for realistic pieces combined with stronger finishes, bolder aesthetics and more attitude.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
9 June 2026
-
Trump has opened our eyes to the consequences of extreme greed, corruption, cruelty, and utter disregard for the Constitution and the rule of law.—
Robert B. Reich,
Hartford Courant,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Insane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insane. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
