UNHINGED Synonyms: 190 Similar and Opposite Words

unhinged 1 of 2

adjective

ˌən-ˈhinjd

Definition of unhinged

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

unhinged

2 of 2

verb

past tense of unhinge

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

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

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

Adjective

Maeve wakes up unhinged, manipulating her not-grandson Eddie (Anson Boon) and relishing a gunfight that leaves a hole in her husband’s chest like a typical partner might celebrate a birthday party. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026 Other highlights include Billie’s (Lucy Freyer) fixation with feeling young, Julian Manjerico’s return as the absolutely unhinged Zack-Carlos and a brilliant penultimate episode about casual use of the C-word (hey, the British do it). — Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Verb

Before the Indiana State Fair comes to a close on Sunday, check out our Retro Indy story on how the fair food went from understated to unhinged over the years. — Evan Frank, IndyStar, 20 Aug. 2026 Fuelled by unhinged online hate and anti-Israel extremism, total violent hate crimes skyrocketed by 97% since 2022, forcing terrified Jewish communities around the world into hiding. — Staff, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for unhinged

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhinged

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

Verb

As one of the most effective natural sinks for carbon, peatlands could accelerate climate change if disturbed.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
She was especially disturbed by the emotional vulnerability that someone could exploit when a person believes a relationship is genuine.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of disturbed

Verb

The symptom that alarmed me most in that moment was the progressive skin wrinkling in some NCBRS teens.

— Deepa Fernandes, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
Those moves have alarmed Japan, whose economy is dependent for its survival on open sea lines and which recently has been embroiled in a spat with China over remarks that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made about Taiwan.

— Andy Browne, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of alarmed

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

Verb

And not be distracted by whether or not Ed Sheeran is crying today or crying tomorrow.

— Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026
But she, and New York Times journalists observing the raid, were soon distracted by a group of cockroaches scurrying past an oil canister.

— Zishaan a Latif, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of distracted

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

Verb

From SheetsGate to purposefully washing Joy’s uniforms with rags, the laundry room has unleashed something deranged in Gen.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
Featuring an ensemble populated by killer character actors like Jacki Weaver, Luis Guzmán, Kurtwood Smith, Timothy Spall, and Michael Chernus, Perpetual Grace, LTD is an off-kilter neo-noir that mines deranged humor from its eccentric characters.

— Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of deranged

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

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Synonyms of unhinged

adjective

verb

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