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
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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
No artist ever mocked the insanity of the Hollywood cartoon stystem with such devastating incisiveness, and yet loved its creative output so much.
—
Glenn Garner, Deadline, 28 Mar. 2026
Dominguez, who appeared with defense attorney, Yolo County deputy public defender Daniel Hutchinson, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the killings of David Breaux, 50, and Karim Abou Najm, 20, in Davis’ Central and Sycamore parks in late April 2023.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 26 Mar. 2026
The man charged in a 2023 shooting that killed a pregnant Seattle woman and her unborn baby has been found not guilty by reason of insanity.
—Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 22 Mar. 2026
The group ventriloquized the voices of authority—parents, school principals, cops, military officers, judges, politicians, newscasters, Soviet apparatchiks—and turned them into expressions of mass insanity.
—Andrew Katzenstein, The New York Review of Books, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for insanity
Glenn Garner, Deadline, 28 Mar. 2026
Dominguez, who appeared with defense attorney, Yolo County deputy public defender Daniel Hutchinson, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the killings of David Breaux, 50, and Karim Abou Najm, 20, in Davis’ Central and Sycamore parks in late April 2023.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 26 Mar. 2026
The man charged in a 2023 shooting that killed a pregnant Seattle woman and her unborn baby has been found not guilty by reason of insanity.
—Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 22 Mar. 2026
The group ventriloquized the voices of authority—parents, school principals, cops, military officers, judges, politicians, newscasters, Soviet apparatchiks—and turned them into expressions of mass insanity.
—Andrew Katzenstein, The New York Review of Books, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for insanity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insanity
Noun
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More than 6 million Americans struggle with dementia, according to the National Institutes of Health.—
Cindy Hsu,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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Cesar Sanchez, 76, became an Adult Protective Services client when his daughter called DCF for help and he was admitted to a Kendall hospital for treatment of dementia.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The absurdity is that Democratic voters outnumber Republicans in California by nearly 2 to 1.—
George Skelton,
Mercury News,
3 Apr. 2026
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When the couple falls into a little Noel Cowardesque riff, the play’s central confession arrives like a comic absurdity.—
Steven Winn,
San Francisco Chronicle,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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,
7 Apr. 2026
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Monthly records for the state go back to 1895, so experts know there's a lot to March's madness.—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Once inside, fans kept their hysteria on the inside, to the point that even Hollywood High’s librarians might have approved of their behavior.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
6 Apr. 2026
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In the midst of the hysteria, Auriemma issued an apology statement released by UConn on Saturday afternoon.—
Lori Riley,
Hartford Courant,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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If not for the stupidity of Joe Biden and the Democrats, ICE would have an easier job.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
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Smart, skilled, hardworking people gracefully put up with all manner of tragedy, stupidity, and institutional rot.—
Josh Tyrangiel,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Their simplicity in dress masks their tremendous success.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Apr. 2026
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On one hand, there’s a simplicity to the song, and yet there’s a lot of complex things going on behind it.—
Steve Appleford,
SPIN,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Wilfredo Ortega Rodriguez, 58, was sent to Villa Rosa IV with psychiatric diagnoses of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, a health department report said.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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Retinal images also can reveal physiological changes in the brain associated with psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, Appaji says.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
2 Apr. 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 9 Apr. 2026.
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