as in psychotic
unable to think in a clear or sensible way
destined to become one of the nation's most notorious serial killers, he apparently became unhinged as a result of being abandoned as a young teen
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in disturbed
to cause to go insane or as if insane
the endless harassment by the guards completely unhinged the prisoners of war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in alarmed
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
I was momentarily unhinged by the unexpected question
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unhinged
Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Jan. 2026
And all the while, the magic and mystery are soundtracked by some of the most whimsical — and unhinged — songs the Bridgerton team can get.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 28 Jan. 2026
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2026
The provocative, genre-defying horror flick boasts unhinged gore, a delightfully dark sense of humor, Madigan as the creepiest aunt ever, and a crowd-pleasing finale.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unhinged
Adjective
The streamer offers such titles as Dead Ringers, which sees Rachel Weisz take on dual roles in an unhinged remake of the classic David Cronenberg film; and Daisy Jones & the Six, a faux-documentary about a rock band’s rise and fall in the 1970s.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Jan. 2026
And all the while, the magic and mystery are soundtracked by some of the most whimsical — and unhinged — songs the Bridgerton team can get.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
That usually happens when an actor appears overly controlled or insufficiently guided—either sealed tight or unhinged.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2026
The provocative, genre-defying horror flick boasts unhinged gore, a delightfully dark sense of humor, Madigan as the creepiest aunt ever, and a crowd-pleasing finale.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unhinged
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhinged
Adjective
-
While Hadari is rebranding as YH Studios, his creative voice remains unchanged, clearly influenced by Browne in his fusion of the sartorial with the slightly psychotic.—
Ari Stark,
Footwear News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
At a house party full of caviar, one of the women, while immersed in a motherhood quandary, asks another if there’s something psychotic and untoward in her devouring piles of tiny eggs.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The study was conducted in a lab, where participants had never slept before, which could have also disturbed their sleep.—
Kaan Ozcan,
NBC news,
4 Feb. 2026
-
If the dirt is disturbed the next day, the den is occupied.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Officials across the country received the invitation, which has alarmed some of its recipients, according to numerous media outlets.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
10 Feb. 2026
-
My behavior may have alarmed my roommates.—
Ivy Nelson,
Pitchfork,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Last week, the wind-power green scam artists were back in federal court, arguing to be permitted to keep squandering billions more on those insane offshore windmills that produce next to no energy, but plenty of pollution.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
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That’s the best reaction to these stupid, insane men ruling the world now and trying to grab and dominate the world.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Additionally, Morant, a Nike brand ambassador, has an opportunity to play in front of a basketball-crazed (albeit mostly Adidas-loyal) fan base in Germany.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026
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They are not deranged or crazed.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
16 Dec. 2025
Verb
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They were seen by the clergy, for example, to be distracted by chocolate, drinking it and gossiping instead of paying attention to mass.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
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Yet, the brooms are out, and the cleanup has begun in earnest, creating a sense that NASCAR pushed away the off-track drama that has distracted the league.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Pederson is something of a mad scientist with bats.—
Evan Grant,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Emily Brontë’s beloved novel has been driving people mad since the project was first announced.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
It’d be deranged not to bring back Storrie and Williams as the leads—so of course their return has been confirmed.—
Daisy Jones,
Vogue,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The political landscape is horrifying, distracting, deranged and unhinged.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unhinged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhinged. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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