insanity

noun

in-ˈsa-nə-tē How to pronounce insanity (audio)
Definition of insanitynext
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

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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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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 insanity The insanity defense has also long been seen as controversial. — Melina Khan, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 However, if the jury finds Clancy not guilty on insanity grounds, she would be admitted into a state mental health institution. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 3 Sep. 2026 Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her five children in their bathtub in 2001, was found not guilty by reason of insanity in a 2006 retrial. — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026 If she is found not guilty by reason of insanity, the court would begin the process of committing Clancy to a state psychiatric facility. — ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for insanity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insanity
  1. dementia
  2. absurdity
  3. madness
  4. hysteria
  5. stupidity
  6. simplicity
  7. schizophrenia
  8. idiocy
Noun
  • Since expanding from theater into film, writer-director Florian Zeller has specialized in examining the pressure of mental health issues on families — dealing with dementia in The Father and depression in The Son, both based on his plays.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
  • As in this year’s other notable book about dementia, Ben Lerner’s Transcription, the fritzing out of David’s memory seems primarily like a language disorder.
    — Emma Alpern, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of dementia
Noun
  • Coworkers spin up absurd theories about each other, and this setting—the office as the most fertile breeding ground for speculation—allows Park’s absurdities to bend plausibility without breaking it.
    — James Folta, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Georgian life in that period was extremely difficult, but there was also a kind of absurdity to it, even a charm.
    — JD Linville, Variety, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of absurdity
Noun
  • Just 42 minutes of 10-run madness … all after this game should have been over.
    — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • While operating, Joseph shakes off the space madness by recalling La’an’s advice.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of madness
Noun
  • Verrett inserted himself into the mentions by spreading unprompted racial hysteria.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Inuit people in the Arctic Circle have been known to experience a type of hysteria known as piblokto, which might be brought on by the sensory deprivation of long winters.
    — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of hysteria
Noun
  • The latest contestant in this recurring game of fiscal stupidity is Miami.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026
  • That’s only made worse by the fact that it’s treated as some kind of grand betrayal rather than an impulsive act of youthful stupidity that will make for a good story one day.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 29 July 2026
Definition of stupidity
Noun
  • The key is simplicity and predictability, giving producers confidence that American locations can compete with foreign alternatives.
    — Sam Roseme, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Complexity can disguise poor thinking, while simplicity can expose it.
    — Ricardo Bellino, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of simplicity
Noun
  • That will not surprise anyone who has worked with it in schizophrenia.
    — Nitin Gogtay, STAT, 4 Sep. 2026
  • AntiMood stabilizers support people who have mood swings because of conditions such as bipolar disorder, personality disorder and schizophrenia.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of schizophrenia
Noun
  • It’s been a classic staple over decades of British comedy, which from Basil Fawlty to David Brent has rejoiced in puncturing pomposity to reveal idiocy and incompetence.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The school board’s radical idiocy does not negate the state’s obligation to think about the longer haul — specifically, the structurally unbalanced budgets facing Chicago Public Schools as far as the eye can see.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of idiocy

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insanities
insanity
insatiable
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Cite this Entry

“Insanity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insanity. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on insanity

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about insanity

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