1
as in insanity
a foolish act or idea
you want to sneak into the building after the alarm is set—what lunacy!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dementia
a serious mental disorder that prevents one from living a safe and normal life
the judge ruled that the lunacy of the accused made him incompetent to stand trial
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in madness
lack of good sense or judgment
was it desperation or lunacy that caused him to quit his job and move to California without any plan for what to do when he got there?
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 lunacy
What’s the approach to a scene with that degree of lunacy?
—
Joe Reid, Vulture, 18 June 2025
Among the other eight walk-offs, the only one that can match the pure lunacy of Bailey’s was Heliot Ramos’ Little League home run, one that required the Texas Rangers to commit two throwing errors.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 9 July 2025
Four games in, and everything’s all tied up at 2-2 after Thursday night’s lunacy, which featured Edmonton rallying to undo a 3-0 first-period deficit and Florida’s Sam Reinhart potting the tying goal with just 19.5 ticks left on the clock.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 13 June 2025
Why do so many leaders turn a blind eye to this lunacy?
—Letters To The Editor, Oc Register, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lunacy
Joe Reid, Vulture, 18 June 2025
Among the other eight walk-offs, the only one that can match the pure lunacy of Bailey’s was Heliot Ramos’ Little League home run, one that required the Texas Rangers to commit two throwing errors.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 9 July 2025
Four games in, and everything’s all tied up at 2-2 after Thursday night’s lunacy, which featured Edmonton rallying to undo a 3-0 first-period deficit and Florida’s Sam Reinhart potting the tying goal with just 19.5 ticks left on the clock.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 13 June 2025
Why do so many leaders turn a blind eye to this lunacy?
—Letters To The Editor, Oc Register, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lunacy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lunacy
Noun
-
Kittle’s defense attorney revealed his client is a paranoid schizophrenic and was previously found not guilty on prior charges by reason of insanity.—
Peter D'Abrosca , Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
14 Aug. 2025
-
For all his insanity, his base is energized, and behind him.—
S.E. Cupp,
New York Daily News,
30 July 2025
Noun
-
The legendary actor retired after being diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2023.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
15 Aug. 2025
-
The testing confirmed her diagnosis with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and aphasia, the outlet reported.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
But rather than capturing the madness of the era, Lee drowns in sub-Scorsese excess, confusing saying a lot of things bluntly with saying something meaningful.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
16 Aug. 2025
-
There appears to be a method to the madness in Minnesota.—
Trevor Squire,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The child then reportedly ran, sparking hysteria on an escalator at the Vine City railway station as passengers crowded onto it.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
18 July 2025
-
Somewhere around the seventh inning, the hysteria really set in.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
To illustrate the absurdity of adhering too closely to genre conventions, Galloway describes a plot about an innocent girl who winds up in a strange town.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Drama, laughs, and a healthy dose of absurdity ensue.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
New providers decoupled payments from banks, focusing on speed, simplicity and APIs.—
Mustafa Khanwala,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Despite its make-do simplicity, bulldog gravy is delicious when made with flavorful fat, such as from smoky bacon.—
Sheri Castle,
Southern Living,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lunacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lunacy. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share