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
Relevance
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
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 unhinged
Tierra Cunningham, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2025
The phrase about tiger blood and never losing stuck with him during the interview, and the unhinged moment went viral.
—Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2025
Will Leitch, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
Americans have noticed that Democratic leaders are increasingly unhinged.
—Nicole Russell, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unhinged
Adjective
Her racist, unhinged and xenophobic comments about Congresswoman Ilhan Omar are beneath the dignity of the Congress.
—Tierra Cunningham, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2025
The phrase about tiger blood and never losing stuck with him during the interview, and the unhinged moment went viral.
—Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
Howard has made all kinds of films in his illustrious career, but never one this unhinged, even campy.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
Americans have noticed that Democratic leaders are increasingly unhinged.
—Nicole Russell, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unhinged
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhinged
Adjective
-
While docked in Florida, the troupe encounters trouble in the form of psychotic Twisty the Clown (John Carroll Lynch), a deranged murderer with a taste for sideshow carnage.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Together, O’Neill and Alicia navigate a rabbit hole of deranged folk singers, psychotic cops, boxing promoters, line dancing enthusiasts, and worst of all, podcasters, the truth blurs, bodies stack, and the nature of their search comes into question.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Part of the controversy appears to have related to the fact that the carpet covered tile that, if disturbed, could expose children to asbestos.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Boxelder bugs can also release an unpleasant smell when crushed or otherwise disturbed.—
Andrea Beck,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Nigin told her later that, yes, she had been alarmed by the cut but had resolved to check on her students.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The conservative tilt of the Supreme Court has alarmed some LGBTQ+ advocates who believe the ban is at risk.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Continue reading … ORWELL NIGHTMARE – Joe Rogan blasts 'insane' media silence on arrests for social media posts.—
,
FOXNews.com,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The queen greeted this insane question with a politely regal stare, ignored my faux pas, and continued talking about financial inclusion.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Phoenix’s crazed, killer Batman villain is back, and he’s now joined by Lady Gaga as the equally insane Harley Quinn.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
4 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
Don’t get distracted by your phone, but stay alert for what’s ahead.—
Libby Monteith Minor,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
-
More than one-third of US workers (36%) identify as a Swiftie—and are likely to be distracted when Taylor Swift releases her 12th studio album, according to new data.—
Kristen Parisi,
Fortune,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
My real friends know what happened, but Kurt’s fans, Courtney’s fans, and some of my own fans were mad at me.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Maybe, probably, the States were also mad at her.—
Catherine Lacey,
New Yorker,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Most people don’t commit violent acts, but in the hands of someone who’s fired up and mentally deranged, anything can happen.—
Mike Fleming Jr,
Deadline,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The perpetrator is obviously deranged, but posts like Min’s might rile up and radicalize the next deranged person.—
Matt Fleming,
Oc Register,
20 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unhinged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhinged. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share