⚡ Out of control 🧵 Thin binding wire 🤪 Mentally confused

haywire

1 8.1

Mentally confused and behaving wildly

adjective
/ˈheɪˌwaɪər/

Informal

: descontrolado

Your hormones go haywire.
go haywire
completely haywire

I don't let my thoughts go haywire

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Examples

It threw him off balance, made him go completely haywire.

Hollywood Cavalcade (1939)
I just got a feeling something is haywire.

Railroaded! (1947)
Then one day he got turned loose in a toy store, and he went kind of haywire.

Movie Movie (1978)
You know, i can't remember when i've ever gone so completely haywire in my whole life.

After Office Hours (1935)
He says Andy's brain signals are haywire.

Fiction book (1998)
After too many deadlines, I just felt my mind go haywire with stress.
When the presentation software crashed, everything started to go haywire.
His emotions went haywire after receiving the unexpected news.

Synonyms

chaotic

vshaywire

116 4.7

Not organized and full of confusion

is focused on mental erraticism and uncontrolled action rather than general mess

wacky

vshaywire

Informal

98 5.9

Odd in a funny or silly way

is stronger, meaning real erratic or wild behavior rather than playful oddness

loony

vshaywire

Offensive

58 8.2

Strange and silly in a way people call crazy

is more about sudden erratic or wild behavior than general unsoundness

nutty

vshaywire

Informal

55 7.2

Being a little crazy in a funny or strange way

is harsher, meaning confused and wildly uncontrolled rather than light oddness

kooky

vshaywire

Informal

26 8.0

Slightly strange in a funny, pleasant way

is more about chaotic, uncontrolled behavior than harmless oddness

maniacal

vshaywire

19 8.6

Very wild and out of control, seeming crazy

is less frenzied and more about general erratic confusion

daft

vshaywire

Informal

18 5.8

Silly in a way that is slightly funny

is more about erratic, uncontrolled actions rather than mere silliness

loopy

vshaywire

Informal

17 7.9

A person who behaves in a slightly crazy or silly way

is more chaotic and uncontrolled rather than merely odd unpredictability

fruity

vshaywire

Offensive

10 8.6

Used informally to describe someone who behaves in a strange or silly way

is more about uncontrolled, confused behavior than mere eccentricity

batty

vshaywire

Offensive

6 8.4

Slightly strange in the way a person thinks or behaves

is stronger in showing loss of control and wildness than eccentricity

barmy

vshaywire

3 8.2

Being silly and slightly crazy in a way that seems funny and harmless

is less jovial and implies real confusion or loss of control

dotty

vshaywire

Informal

2 8.5

Someone who behaves in a slightly strange or silly way

is stronger and describes uncontrolled wild behavior rather than mild oddness

crazed

vshaywire

1 5.0

Acting in a wild and uncontrolled way

is less extreme and denotes confused, erratic mental behavior

in a tailspin

vshaywire

Informal

1 8.2

A sudden state of confusion and panic that makes someone lose control

is broader and can be ongoing rather than only sudden panic

around the bend

vshaywire

Offensive

1 9.3

To be very confused or act in a strange way

is more focused on chaotic, wild behavior than simple unbalance

shambolic

vshaywire

1 8.7

Very badly organized and causing confusion

is about mental confusion and erratic behavior, not just poor organization

loco

vshaywire

Offensive

1 9.9

Not behaving in a normal or sensible way

is less about abnormality and more about chaotic loss of control

buggy

vshaywire

Offensive

1 8.1

Acting strange or not thinking clearly

is more about sudden loss of control and chaotic conduct than eccentricity

balmy

vshaywire

Offensive

1 8.4

Being a little crazy or foolish

is harsher, meaning genuine erratic and uncontrolled behavior not gentle oddness

whacky

vshaywire

Informal

1 7.7

Funny in a strange or silly way

is more severe, indicating chaotic or uncontrolled mental state instead

nuts

vshaywire

Offensive

8.6

Very crazy or doing things that show bad judgment

is milder, meaning confused and erratic rather than clinical insanity

bonkers

vshaywire

Informal

8.0

Acting or feeling very strange

is more about confused, uncontrolled actions rather than oddness alone

meshugga

vshaywire

Slang

9.9

Acting very silly and not thinking clearly

is more linked to erratic, uncontrolled actions rather than mere foolishness

meshugana

vshaywire

Offensive

9.9

Very silly or clearly crazy

is more about mental confusion and loss of control than foolishness

bats

vshaywire

Offensive

9.3

A bit crazy or silly in a strange way

is more about being erratic and uncontrolled than merely odd

crackers

vshaywire

8.8

Acting very silly and not thinking in a sensible way

is less playful and more about real mental confusion and disorder

cracked

vshaywire

Offensive

7.4

Someone who acts a little crazy

is more about erratic, uncontrolled behavior rather than mild unbalance

kookie

vshaywire

Slang

9.8

Strange in a funny or slightly crazy way

is less quirky and refers to true erratic or out of control action

Antonyms

sane

119 3.2

Having a healthy mind and able to think clearly

controlled

3.4

Kept within limits by careful management

How Erratic

berserk

1 7.2

haywire

Informal

1 8.1

erratic

94 6.1

confused

692 1.3

disoriented

41 4.1

Surface Forms

haywire positive

Morphology

haywire = hay + wire (opaque) = hay + wire

Although the word is historically built from 'hay' + 'wire', the modern sense 'confused or erratic' is not a predictable meaning from those parts.

Etymology

The adjective haywire is a helpful phrase to remember by picturing thoughts or behaviour getting 'tangled' like farm wire; because haywire was used for rough, hurried fixes, to go haywire means to become confused or act wildly.