MANIAC Synonyms: 144 Similar and Opposite Words

maniac

noun

ˈmā-nē-ˌak

Definition of maniac

informal

as in lunatic

a person who lacks good sense or judgment It was some surprise to see such chill person become a complete maniac when he got behind the wheel.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in lover

a person with a strong and habitual liking for something I'm a maniac for anything flavored with peppermint

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 maniac Mantzoukas was willing to look like a maniac and a moron in equal measure. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 June 2026 The Martin Lawrence vehicle Martin, which ran for five glorious seasons, offered a terrific platform for Lawrence to run around like a maniac as an energetic radio DJ. — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 8 June 2026 Plus, people drove like maniacs in the parking lot, especially on weekends and around holidays. — Literary Hub, 5 June 2026 Donald also had a reputation for being a maniac about taking care of his body and staying in shape. — Armando Salguero, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for maniac

Recent Examples of Synonyms for maniac

Noun

Rabin was killed [in 1995], that was a last straw —seeing an extremist right-wing lunatic in Israel kill Rabin and kill the dreams of peace.

— Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2026
In fact, a lunatic in Houston couldn't wait more than one game before sprinting onto the field.

— Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of lunatic

Noun

The supporting cast is well stocked with character actors who bring humor and pathos to this gaggle of spouses, friends, lovers and bootleggers.

— Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 1 Oct. 2026
Orr’s trail repairs come at a time when outdoors lovers are feeling particularly protective of public lands.

— Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of lover

Noun

These sucker shoots can quickly form a thicket of stems that are unsightly, inherently weak, and prone to storm damage if allowed to mature.

— Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Sep. 2026
One was a regional distributor of garbage trucks, street sweepers, and sewer suckers for municipalities.

— Eric Zwick, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of sucker

Noun

On a vaporetto in Venice’s Grand Canal in late May, I was forced to admit that my quest to uncover the mysteries of Northern Italy’s famed chicories bore the hallmarks of a goose chase.

— Tamar Adler, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2026
Don’t throttle the goose who lays the golden eggs, don’t blast from the skies the albatross who guarantees fair winds.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of goose

Noun

As the camera focused on a star player making a touchdown or a slam dunk, the faces of the fans behind them would coalesce into a colorful, murky abstraction.

— Ryan Sullivan, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Hathaway, a New York City native and lifelong Knicks fan, was jokingly credited for their change in fortune by yours truly and a host of others.

— Marlow Stern, Variety, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of fan

Noun

And in the training category, the latest shoe releases including Dropset 4 and Adizero Dropset Pro appear to attract a new cohort based of Hyrox and hybrid training enthusiasts.

— Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026
This year, there’s something for nearly every interest, from cheese lovers and bookworms to crafty adults and puzzle enthusiasts.

— Casey DelBasso, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of enthusiast

Noun

Slow Horses fanatics will recognize her as one of the veteran MI5 operatives stuck in the agency’s version of purgatory, known as Slough House.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 Sep. 2026
Nineteen fanatics, acting in the name of Islam, killed 2,997 innocent men, women and children in New York City, in Washington, and on airplanes turned into weapons of mass murder.

— New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of fanatic

Browse Nearby Words

mania

maniac

maniacal

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Style

“Maniac.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maniac. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of maniac

noun

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