maniac

noun

ˈmā-nē-ˌak How to pronounce maniac (audio)
Definition of maniacnext
informal
1
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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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 Ben Rice waved his arms like a maniac on the on-deck circle. — Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 24 May 2026 Trayce Gigi Field, who did the costumes, is an all-star and a maniac with her work ethic, dealing with this. — Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 22 May 2026 Instead of a Buffy-like television show, however, this one recreates a fictional slasher franchise called Camp Miasma, a typical homicidal-maniac-versus-horny-teens-in-the-woods series that bears more than a passing resemblance to the Friday the 13th movies. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 May 2026 This maniac should be removed from office. — CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for maniac
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maniac
  1. lunatic
  2. lover
  3. fool
  4. sucker
  5. goose
  6. fan
  7. enthusiast
  8. fanatic
Noun
  • As a Spurs fan, I was particularly invested in Campbell in an England shirt and recall charging around the living room like a lunatic before the reality that it had been chalked off hit home.
    — The Athletic UK Staff, New York Times, 18 June 2026
  • The lunatics are running the asylum.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026
Definition of lunatic
Noun
  • Guests spill out onto the three-part terrace, with its overhead heaters, barbecue space, and The Cigar Garden, where tobacco lovers can take their pick of Havanas from the humidor and lose themselves in a smoky haze until closing time.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 July 2026
  • For the outdoor lovers the resort offers pickleball and tennis, mountain biking, hiking, climbing, the Arbor Adventure (a 26-element ropes course in the trees), fly fishing, horseback riding, boating, skeet shooting, and more!
    — Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 16 July 2026
Definition of lover
Noun
  • Don’t let the thin sole fool you though, the structure is still quite supportive and keeps your feet cushioned.
    — Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 11 July 2026
  • Being a gent or a supplicant wasn’t the same as being a fool, though.
    — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 29 June 2026
Definition of fool
Noun
  • Afterward, Kenins recommends removing water sprouts and suckers.
    — Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 2 July 2026
  • Any Bay State citizen from Boston to Great Barrington would have been handcuffed and hauled into court yesterday for sucker-punching a fellow bar patron the way a State Police officer did over the weekend.
    — Boston Herald editorial staff, Boston Herald, 30 June 2026
Definition of sucker
Noun
  • Unlike caviar, though, Chinese foie gras will also face headwinds in America as animal-rights activists continue fighting to get the duck and goose liver banned.
    — Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 13 July 2026
  • The scribe carefully inscribed each line with a quill made from a goose feather, while their other hand wielded an erasing knife used to sharpen the quill and scrape away any mistakes.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
Definition of goose
Noun
  • Kris Jenner Kim Kardashian Kylie Jenner Kylie reshared a tribute post from a fan account that posted a video of little Kylie dancing with her grandmother.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 16 July 2026
  • The Panini show may act as a tonic to Italian fans after Italy failed to make the tournament for the third World Cup in a row.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 16 July 2026
Definition of fan
Noun
  • Only a select handful of enthusiasts will get to own one, considering McMurtry intends to produce just one hundred units.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 11 July 2026
  • Ann Asiano, an attorney and racing enthusiast, founded The Umbrella Girls in 2002 to actually brand this concept, expanding the UG repertoire to include series other than F-1 like IndyCar, NHRA and motorcycles.
    — Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of enthusiast
Noun
  • Because movies like both Rise and this new one are what make discerning horror fanatics cynical and ruin a franchise’s good name.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 10 July 2026
  • As a true suncare fanatic, of course, that’s not all my mom packed for her tropical vacation.
    — Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 9 July 2026
Definition of fanatic

Browse Nearby Words

mania
maniac
maniacal
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Maniac.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maniac. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on maniac

Nglish: Translation of maniac for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All