1
as in frantically
in a confused and reckless manner
dashed madly around the house during last-minute preparations for the party
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in enthusiastically
in an enthusiastic manner
the young singer has been so madly praised by the critics you'd think she had invented singing itself
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of madly
That the color evokes looking up to the clouds on a clear day should feel like a return to form as the world spins madly on.
—
Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025
But don’t miss the final beat, when the camera pans left and captures a third character, a woman registering the scene she’s just witnessed before becoming a part of it—her hand on the side of her head, grinning madly.
—Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 28 Nov. 2025
Most cats will be madly attracted to one or more of the above, but some cats will ignore them all.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 Nov. 2025
Reagan's expression of glee was no doubt due to the fact that this encounter went markedly better than his first with a turkey, when the bird went wild on him, fluttering around madly until handlers could placate it.
—Alex Heigl, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for madly
Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025
But don’t miss the final beat, when the camera pans left and captures a third character, a woman registering the scene she’s just witnessed before becoming a part of it—her hand on the side of her head, grinning madly.
—Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 28 Nov. 2025
Most cats will be madly attracted to one or more of the above, but some cats will ignore them all.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 Nov. 2025
Reagan's expression of glee was no doubt due to the fact that this encounter went markedly better than his first with a turkey, when the bird went wild on him, fluttering around madly until handlers could placate it.
—Alex Heigl, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for madly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for madly
Adverb
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And the mistakes, such as frantically learning — and failing — at how to build a river.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
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Free up your team members to actually look at each other and debate ideas instead of frantically taking notes.—
David Henkin,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Current board president Jennifer Warren attributes Newcomb for most enthusiastically spearheading the restoration process in 2014-15.—
Angela George,
Sioux Falls Argus Leader,
23 Jan. 2026
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But the label has been enthusiastically adopted by conservative, right-leaning women across the country.—
Will Carless,
USA Today,
20 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Song Sung Blue is very much a two-hander, exploring the real-life romantic and professional pairing of Mike and Claire Sardina (Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson), entertainers who teamed up to form the wildly popular Neil Diamond tribute band Lightning and Thunder.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Jan. 2026
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Les Baux-de-Provence Built into a rocky outcropping that's part of the Alpilles mountain chain, Les Baux-de-Provence has a rugged and wildly impressive setting.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Hydroplaning is the term for when a vehicle begins sliding uncontrollably on wet roads.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Jan. 2026
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Hydroplaning occurs when a vehicle begins to slide uncontrollably on wet roads.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Madly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/madly. Accessed 26 Jan. 2026.
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