Synonyms of madness

madness

noun

ˈmad-nəs 

1

as in insanity

a serious mental disorder that prevents one from living a safe and normal life

nowadays certain forms of madness are quite treatable

Synonyms & Similar Words

• insanity
• dementia
• hysteria
• schizophrenia
• instability
• paranoia
• mania
• rage
• lunacy
• derangement
• aberration
• frenzy
• psychosis
• delusion
• neurosis
• irrationality
• delirium
• obsession
• unreasonableness
• abnormality
• phobia
• hallucination
• senile dementia
• hypomania
• unsoundness
• hallucinosis
• monomania
• dementedness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sanity
• mind
• rationality
• reasonableness
• lucidity
• saneness
• normality
• soundness
• reasonability
• rationalness

2

as in simplicity

lack of good sense or judgment

to do something so reckless would be sheer madness

Synonyms & Similar Words

• insanity
• simplicity
• craziness
• absurdity
• foolishness
• wackiness
• unwisdom
• lunacy
• zaniness
• daftness
• silliness
• nuttiness
• fatuousness
• imbecility
• inanity
• preposterousness
• dottiness
• stupidness
• folly
• witlessness
• senselessness
• nonsensicalness
• stupidity
• balminess
• brainlessness
• asininity
• idiocy
• fatuity
• slowness
• dippiness
• irrationality
• dullness
• dumbness
• simpleness
• feeblemindedness
• mindlessness
• obtuseness
• unreasonableness
• ridiculousness
• simplemindedness
• dopiness
• oafishness
• denseness
• doltishness
• weirdness
• fallacy
• kookiness
• ludicrousness
• vacuity
• gormlessness
• dim-wittedness
• laughableness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sanity
• wisdom
• prudence
• sagacity
• soundness
• rationality
• validity
• reasonableness
• sapience
• sensibleness
• perception
• logicality
• insight
• reasonability
• sagaciousness
• sageness
• discernment
• logicalness
• rationalness
• percipience

3

as in anger

an intense emotional state of displeasure with someone or something

her incessant insults goaded him to such madness that he would storm around breaking dishes and slamming doors

Synonyms & Similar Words

• anger
• indignation
• rage
• wrath
• outrage
• fury
• mood
• wrathfulness
• irritation
• mad
• exasperation
• irritability
• jealousy
• slow burn
• contempt
• bitterness
• furor
• annoyance
• resentment
• hostility
• ire
• spleen
• angriness
• choler
• lividity
• temper
• malice
• birse
• grudge
• outburst
• irateness
• lividness
• envy
• malevolence
• animosity
• aggravation
• antagonism
• enmity
• vexation
• embitterment
• venom
• spite
• vindictiveness
• antipathy
• rancor
• vengefulness
• delirium
• bile
• acrimony
• belligerence
• virulence
• biliousness
• crankiness
• pugnacity
• jaundice
• heat
• contentiousness
• vitriol
• irascibility
• contrariness
• pique
• warmth
• quarrelsomeness
• flare
• querulousness
• road rage
• pugnaciousness
• acrimoniousness
• pet
• orneriness
• rise
• blowup
• dudgeon
• disputatiousness
• passion
• hot-headedness
• empoisonment
• irascibleness
• air rage
• dander
• ruffle
• flare-up
• huff
• chafe

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• pleasure
• delight
• patience
• calmness
• forbearance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of madness

The Giants’ 5-1 win over the Texas Rangers on Monday, powered by two homers from Jung Hoo Lee and a strong start from Logan Webb, was secondary to the madness that preceded it. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 4 Aug. 2026

As in seasons past, episodes will explore the motives potentially lying behind the accused’s madness. — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 4 Aug. 2026

Founders who have launched billion-dollar businesses are being candid on the methods to their madness. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2026

There was a good bit of tequila but a lot less madness to these sessions, which were overseen by songwriter and producer Trent Willmon. — Stephen Deusner, SPIN, 3 Aug. 2026