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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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 insanity
This team had three freshmen and three sophomores in the rotation, which is utter insanity.
—
Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2025
Spending more taxpayer money every year for worse results is the definition of political insanity.
—Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
Who pays for this insanity of too many coaches and assistants?
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
The court ruled that although Elkins did kill her children, she was found not guilty by reason of insanity, the outlet and NBC10 Philadelphia reported.
—Becca Longmire, People.com, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for insanity
Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2025
Spending more taxpayer money every year for worse results is the definition of political insanity.
—Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
Who pays for this insanity of too many coaches and assistants?
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
The court ruled that although Elkins did kill her children, she was found not guilty by reason of insanity, the outlet and NBC10 Philadelphia reported.
—Becca Longmire, People.com, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for insanity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insanity
Noun
-
Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia, is a neurodegenerative condition that can start developing 20 years before symptoms appear.—
Allen Chang,
ABC News,
29 Apr. 2025
-
An Alzheimer's Association report, released April 29, said the total annual cost of caring for people living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia will reach $384 billion in 2025.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Within the film’s glittering absurdity, Langlois shows us how easily the monster that was fame and fandom could turn on women like Mimi and Billie.—
Manuel Betancourt,
Variety,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Based in Brooklyn, the studio will focus on stories that go inside the fringe to capture the absurdity of modern American life.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
From the foothills of the Berkshires arises a venerable strain of American madness, the poetry of hokum—the old weird America of medicine shows and travelling circuses and carnivals.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2025
-
The chaos has Americans and the world wondering whether there’s a method behind the apparent madness.—
Laurent Belsie,
Christian Science Monitor,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
For much of the call, Mills leaned hard on federal deficit hysteria to justify spending cuts for essential public services his constituents rely on.—
Letters to the editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 Apr. 2025
-
But here, Clooney has recast himself as journalistic hero Edward R. Murrow, who in the early 1950s defied U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy and his efforts to stoke anti-communist hysteria through the media.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The stupidity of enacting a massive tax increase on the entire global economy at this point doesn’t make much sense.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
5 Apr. 2025
-
Trump himself personifies stupidity’s essential feature — self-satisfaction, an inability to recognize the flaws in your thinking.—
David Brooks,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The simplicity of his resting place follows the express request made by Francis in his will.—
Fatima Al-Kassab,
NPR,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Asawa’s own words posted throughout the exhibit reflect the simplicity of her genius.—
Robert Taylor,
Mercury News,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Bynes’ attorney denied that the former actor had been diagnosed with schizophrenia.—
Christie D’Zurilla,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2025
-
This valuable data includes information from patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and other psychiatric illnesses.—
Molly Peck,
USA TODAY,
4 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Insanity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insanity. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share