1
as in dementia
a serious mental disorder that prevents one from living a safe and normal life
his incurable insanity requires that he spend the rest of his life in a mental hospital
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in absurdity
a foolish act or idea
everyone laughed at the latest insanity from the town eccentric
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in madness
lack of good sense or judgment
had the insanity to think that taking over a government building in protest of our foreign policy was a good idea
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of insanity
The worship of greatness leads, at best, to disillusionment and, at worst, to the insanity unleashed by the Wagnerian Hitler.
—
Alex Ross, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
Attached to it is a video of Andrea Yates, the real Texas woman who drowned her five children amid an episode of postpartum psychosis and was found not guilty by reason of insanity, per the New York Times.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
To punish her company is an act of insanity.
—Maer Roshan, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Finally, someone is reckoning with the insanity that was The Swan.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for insanity
Alex Ross, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
Attached to it is a video of Andrea Yates, the real Texas woman who drowned her five children amid an episode of postpartum psychosis and was found not guilty by reason of insanity, per the New York Times.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
To punish her company is an act of insanity.
—Maer Roshan, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Finally, someone is reckoning with the insanity that was The Swan.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for insanity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insanity
Noun
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The movie star, who retired from acting in 2022 and was diagnosed the following year with frontotemporal dementia, turned 71 on March 19.—
Roberta Mercuri,
Vanity Fair,
20 Mar. 2026
-
One study of 300,000 people found that greater muscle mass was associated with a lower risk of dementia, Wood says.—
Holly Haber,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Shatner deftly presents Kirk's delicate handling of interstellar trader Cyrano Jones's multiplying annoyances with a gentle humor and relaxed resignation as to the absurdity of the situation aboard the Enterprise.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
22 Mar. 2026
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The Diesel version of the joke leaned into the absurdity of casting the action star of the Fast and Furious franchise in a family comedy.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The alien-baiting of fifteen years ago was an aftermath of the war madness, a symptom of general postwar uneasiness and disorientation.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The UConn men and women have created countless memories through the madness of March and onto the championships won in April.—
Kels Dayton,
Hartford Courant,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But thanks to the postwar anti-alien hysteria and the deportation laws enacted during and soon after the First World War, the island’s business has become the expulsion of foreigners.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
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Cofflin said the hysteria the sprinkler ordinance has generated has been the result of a lack of understanding of the requirements.—
J.K. Dineen,
San Francisco Chronicle,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The cops are rendered so clueless and so steadfast in their stupidity, the series accidentally endorses ACAB.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
18 Mar. 2026
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Any who show up are declaring their indelible stupidity and misogyny.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Fishy Fishy, a longtime staple, stays faithful to what’s just come off the boat, while Catch of the Day turns a waterfront food truck into a lesson in simplicity done right.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
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Choice Home Warranty focuses on simplicity with two plans and is a more budget-friendly option for essential coverage.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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And the Broad Institute gets a new infusion of funding focused on understanding schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.—
Meghana Keshavan,
STAT,
20 Mar. 2026
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But the reality is that schizophrenia affects so many people around the world.—
Amanda Marton Ramaciotti,
The Dial,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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There’s a heartwarming idiocy to their pursuit, yet what festers underneath is their inability to process grief consciously and the fear that those who deem their existence meaningless might be right.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
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Gunther and Tig are two billionaire failsons who have wasted countless opportunities and cash chasing the stupidest ideas and who get rewarded over and over again for their idiocy.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Insanity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insanity. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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