insane

adjective

(ˌ)in-ˈsān How to pronounce insane (audio)
Definition of insanenext
1
as in mad
unable to think in a clear or sensible way After learning of the robbery, they were insane with anger and foolishly searched the neighborhood looking for their belongings.

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2
as in absurd
conceived or made without regard for reason or reality a completely insane plan to build an opera house in the middle of nowhere

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3
as in stupid
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment an insane plan to blow all of their savings on lottery tickets

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4
as in excessive
going beyond a normal or acceptable limit in degree or amount wanted an insane amount of money to paint our house

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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 insane With all due respect to Leung and D’Amelio, the most insane designer fashion credits go to Bailey Carbone herself. — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 2 Oct. 2026 In particular, users are gravitating towards — and posting their own covers of — the bridge, which finds Williams belting insane high notes. — Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2026 Greg and Geoff and James have crafted such a wild script that brings the mystery of the original while exploring new insane bloody ideas that meld so well with the brutal moral compass of the franchise. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2026 Prosecutor Sarah George, the Chittenden County state’s attorney, argued that Eaton was not legally insane and understood that his actions were criminal. — Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for insane
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insane
  1. mad
  2. absurd
  3. stupid
  4. excessive
  5. maniacal
  6. bizarre
  7. crazy
  8. extreme
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
Adjective
  • This episode notably lacked any nod to Trump, though mentions of the president as a whole have been brief compared to the previous season, when the president was the show’s focal point for absurd antics.
    — Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
  • And Saturday’s win proved that his plan to pursue championships — something that seemed absurd amid a lost 2025 season — has a real possibility of paying off with one.
    — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of absurd
Adjective
  • Doing so would be a stupid move for an Oval Office wannabe, one already hobbled by the progressive persona of the Golden State.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Republican Massachusetts Senate nominee John Deaton is not stupid.
    — Jon Keller, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of stupid
Adjective
  • Dry eye disease is tied to excessive tear evaporation or inflammation on the eye’s surface.
    — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The researchers also reported that giving testosterone after injury reduced the excessive cardiovascular reactivity caused by traumatic brain injury in their model.
    — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of excessive
Adjective
  • Rihanna’s here, maniacal crowds are lining up outside shows to screech and wave at their favorite stars and days of runway events big and small lie ahead.
    — Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026
  • These machines—the maniacal Maverick R, with its praying mantis-like front suspension, and the hard-working Pioneer—have little else in common.
    — Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of maniacal
Adjective
  • But at the center of this story is a man named Michael Organ who turns out to be a bizarre, seemingly dangerous conman.
    — Terrence O'Brien, The Verge, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Aside from spreading fear and anxiety through the agricultural labor force — which might be the point, if the hope is many will self-deport — the surge is having some other bizarre and probably unintended consequences.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of bizarre
Adjective
  • Life was crazy and the entertainment business was weird and journalism was infuriating.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026
  • No single institution, no matter how crazy its employees, could do it alone.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of crazy
Adjective
  • The government is widely regarded as the most extreme Israel has ever had.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Teymouri filed a motion last week seeking to have the couple held on $100 million bail, citing their extreme wealth.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of extreme

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Cite this Entry

“Insane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insane. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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