haywire 1 of 2

adjective

ˈhā-ˌwī(-ə)r How to pronounce haywire (audio)
Definition of haywirenext
1
as in down
not being in working order The website went haywire when it was overloaded with visitors seeking tickets.

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mad
unable to think in a clear or sensible way She gradually went haywire with grief after the tragic death of her husband.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

haywire

2 of 2

adverb

as in uncontrollably

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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 haywire
Adverb
Robot meltdown — The LLMs also sometimes went haywire in unexpected ways. — Billy Perrigo, Time, 28 Oct. 2025 The Baltimore Orioles' season went haywire fast after a disappointing offseason that saw ace Corbin Burnes walk, and with no real replacement added to their pitching staff. — Hunter Mulholland, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for haywire
  1. down
  2. mad
  3. uncontrollably
  4. malfunctioning
  5. psychotic
  6. crazily
  7. broken
  8. insane
Adjective
  • Consequently, even if a down cycle occurs, it is not expected to show the same sharp decline seen in the past.
    — Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Among the 138 teams in FBS, TCU’s offense ranks 93rd in third down conversions, 110th in rushing, and tied for 103rd in first downs.
    — Mac Engel October 14, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of down
Adjective
  • Richard Dawkins, the British evolutionary theorist and author of the groundbreaking best seller The Selfish Gene (1976), among many other books, appears to have gone a bit mad.
    — James Gleick, The New York Review of Books, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Mel Brooks’ comedy The Producers also took a poke at that mad man with Springtime for Hitler.
    — Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of mad
Adverb
  • In June 2016, Blair, who was returning to Los Angeles from a vacation in Cancun, Mexico, began screaming uncontrollably and causing chaos on the flight.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Alpha 1, who’s most strict about the disease’s suppression, lashes out uncontrollably.
    — Cortlyn Kelly, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of uncontrollably
Adjective
  • Riders had to evacuate its log ride on seven separate occasions because of issues such as boats colliding or becoming jammed and smoke coming from a malfunctioning part of the ride.
    — Blake Ellis, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Homeowners reported a swift meeting at which officers discussed a reorganization of their specific duties and the hiring of an elevator expert to fix the chronically malfunctioning, overloaded elevators.
    — Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of malfunctioning
Adjective
  • Unfortunately, his doctor interprets all the screaming about an alien presence in Thomas’ head as a garden-variety psychotic breakdown, and remands him to a more secure facility.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
  • It may also be used to treat certain other psychotic conditions, such as psychosis arising in Parkinson disease.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of psychotic
Adverb
  • So, in recognition of the country's semiquincentennial, here's a proudly Memphicentric and crazily ambitious if inevitably incomplete list of 250 — count 'em, *250* — Memphis artists and entertainers.
    — John Beifuss, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 2 Aug. 2026
  • And when Andreeva hits one of her crazily creative shots and turns to Martínez for praise, she is met with a smile, and maybe some clapping.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 4 June 2026
Definition of crazily
Adjective
  • She was treated at hospitals in Ramallah and Israel for lacerations across her body, a broken rib and four broken vertebrae.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The desire to move—even to move the broken ankle itself—became, at times, overwhelming.
    — Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of broken
Adjective
  • First and foremost, as a homeowner myself the property taxes are insane and continue to go up.
    — Stephen Korka, Sun Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026
  • That may be the name of her next album, but Venus’ insane popularity also speaks to the way Metropia is moving forward, constantly looking for the next shiny thing.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of insane

Browse Nearby Words

hayseed
haywire
hazard
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Cite this Entry

“Haywire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/haywire. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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