zaniness

noun

Definition of zaninessnext
as in insanity
lack of good sense or judgment what zaniness possessed you to take a mental health day when you knew that the head honcho would be visiting?

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 zaniness Adding to the mind-blowing zaniness of the piece? — Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 12 June 2026 As was the case in the first season as well, the finale escalates to a place of thrilling zaniness, with a little less ultimate emotional gravitas this time around. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026 But the draft traditionally ratchets up quarterback zaniness. — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026 Some critics found the zaniness of Bale’s ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’ number (an homage to Mel Brooks comedy Young Frankenstein) hysterically brilliant, while others didn’t get the joke. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 8 Mar. 2026 Plenty of moments on The Fall-Off remind of the hunger of his early mixtapes, the purposeful thrills of his 2010s hits, or even the misguided zaniness of KOD, though none materialize in meaningful doses. — Benny Sun, Pitchfork, 10 Feb. 2026 The frothy zaniness was, of course, one of Barry’s Hollywood calling cards, but there always were serious themes submerged underneath. — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026 The ensemble comedy garnered critical praise for its steady stream of zaniness and quickly gained a reputation for deftly skewering suburban life while still maintaining a general sweetness of tone. — Will Harris, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2026 Animated by an irreverent zaniness, Egger’s poetry fuses elements drawn from contemporary idiom and from lyric tradition to render a surreal world that interrogates existential questions about desire and grief. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for zaniness
  1. insanity
  2. madness
  3. simplicity
  4. craziness
  5. absurdity
  6. wackiness
Noun
  • Massachusetts law states that a person committed after a successful insanity defense can be recommitted over and over again, each time for a one-year period.
    — Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Doing the same thing over again and expecting a different result is what some people call insanity.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of insanity
Noun
  • Like the real-life star of such films as Black Swan, M is a former child actor whose film roles include a ballerina who descends into madness.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Sep. 2026
  • As dark occurrences begin to shatter the quiet of their isolated home, the boy is forced to navigate a harrowing psychological nightmare where the line between real-world madness and supernatural terror blurs.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of madness
Noun
  • While Van Patten’s current makeup routine is all about simplicity, that wasn’t always the case.
    — Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Clinamen @ The Park Avenue Armory Céleste Boursier-Mougenot’s Clinamen was mesmerizing in its simplicity.
    — Jesse Kirshbaum, SPIN, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of simplicity
Noun
  • Jacksonville has a successful Triple-A franchise, the Jumbo Shrimp, that won its league last year, bringing fun theme nights, quirky mascots and between-inning craziness.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2026
  • And there’s plenty more moving yet outrageous craziness to come.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of craziness
Noun
  • With that as the starting point, and the premise now fully in motion, season two hits the ground running with the wind of absurdity at its back.
    — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The position requires a particular combination of bravery, confidence and just enough absurdity.
    — Asli Pelit, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of absurdity
Noun
  • And with those road destinations, there’s plenty of room for late-season winter weather wackiness.
    — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 13 May 2026
  • These flashes of melancholy or yearning give the record complexity and depth, as well as stopping it from devolving into wackiness.
    — Alastair Shuttleworth, Pitchfork, 2 May 2026
Definition of wackiness

Browse Nearby Words

zanies
zaniness
zany
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Cite this Entry

“Zaniness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/zaniness. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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