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loony

loony

19 9.9
A rude name for a person who acts very strangely or dangerously
  • noun
  • /ˈluːni/
  • Slur
translation icon : desquiciado
  • The police warned residents about a loony who had been causing trouble in the neighborhood.
  • kind of loony
  • loony bin

Examples

  • This loony has already killed three people and now they think that he's after me.

  • And you don't look like a loony to me.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • I got some kind of religious loony for a client.

  • These guys are painting him as some kind of a loony.

  • Look at me, crying like a loony.

  • You think I'm a loony?

  • I just don't want you to give up because of what some loony said.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • One of these loonies out there is bad enough.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Actually, they were all just a bunch of loonies, crying doom on general principle.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • I'm a loony.

Synonyms

maniac
vsloony
  • Offensive
149 8.1

A person who behaves wildly and dangerously and may hurt others

is similar but focuses more on informal insult and sometimes danger
weirdo
vsloony
  • Offensive
119 7.0

A person who acts in a strange or unusual way

is more insulting and can imply mental instability or threat
madman
vsloony
  • Offensive
95 6.4

A man who acts very strangely or dangerously and may be mentally ill

is closer to a casual insult that may suggest danger sometimes
nutcase
vsloony
  • Offensive
52 8.6

A person who behaves very strangely and may be dangerous

is the same insult but can be used more casually
lunatic
vsloony
  • Offensive
51 6.2

A person who acts in a wild or reckless way

adds a sense of social stigma and possible danger to that behaviour
loco
vsloony
  • Offensive
49 9.8

A person who behaves in a strange or wild way

is similar but is often considered more offensive or negative
crackpot
vsloony
  • Offensive
40 8.2

A person who has strange or unrealistic ideas

focuses more on dangerous or insane behaviour than unusual ideas
kook
vsloony
  • Offensive
35 8.8

A person who behaves in a very strange or wild way

suggests greater threat or insanity rather than harmless oddness
loon
vsloony
  • Offensive
31 9.4

An insulting word for a person who behaves in a very strange or foolish way

leans more toward serious mental instability and potential danger
looney
vsloony
  • Offensive
9 9.8

A person who behaves in a strange or dangerous way

is nearly identical but is marked as sometimes offensive in usage
nutbag
vsloony
  • Offensive
4 8.6

A person who acts in a silly or strange way

is harsher, implying real insanity or possible dangerous behaviour
bizarro
vsloony
  • Slang
4 9.9

A person who behaves very strangely

is harsher, implying serious mental instability or possible threat
freakazoid
vsloony
  • Offensive
4 9.9

A person who behaves in a very strange or wild way

focuses more on mental instability and possible dangerousness rather than style
total psycho
vsloony
  • Offensive
2 9.1

A person who acts in a very angry, dangerous, or unpredictable way

is less extreme in tone and sometimes only implies oddness
1 6.0

A person with unusual habits or behavior

is stronger, implying unstable or risky behaviour rather than harmless oddity
eccentric
vsloony
1 7.0

A person who behaves in an unusual way that others find odd

adds a sharper, insulting sense and possible danger beyond oddity
nutcake
vsloony
  • Offensive
1 9.1

An insulting word for a person who acts very silly or strange

leans more toward implying real mental instability and possible danger
total nutcase
vsloony
  • Offensive
1 8.8

A person who acts in a way that seems crazy

is more focused on insult and possible risk than mere eccentricity
weirdie
vsloony
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who acts in a strange way that others find unpleasant

is harsher, implying actual insanity or risk rather than mere unpleasantness
total whackjob
vsloony
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who behaves in a very strange and unreasonable way that worries others

is similar but can be used more lightly or jokingly
meshugana
vsloony
  • Offensive
9.9

Very silly or clearly crazy

is similar but feels more insulting or potentially offensive
weirdy
vsloony
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who acts strange and makes others uncomfortable

is similar but more likely to suggest dangerous unpredictability
ouf
vsloony
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who behaves in a wild or strange way

is more likely to be used when danger or insanity is suspected

Idioms

a bit loony
  • Offensive
8.9

A little strange and silly

Compounds

loony bin
  • Slur
18 9.9

An offensive slang word for a hospital for people with serious mental health problems

loony bin
  • Slur
1 9.9

A slang word for a place that feels noisy and chaotic, like a house or office with many people

loony antics
  • Informal
8.4

Silly, wild actions people do to get attention

loony left
  • Offensive
9.8

A rude name for people on the far left with very strong political ideas

loony lefty
  • Offensive
9.9

A person with very left-wing political views that others use as an insult

A way of being funny that is strange and silly

9.9

A drug that makes people see things that are not real

loony tune
  • Slang
9.7

A very silly or crazy idea

9.8

A short time when someone acts very silly and makes people laugh

How Crazy

maniac
1 7.1
lunatic
  • Slur
153 9.8
loony
  • Slur
19 9.9
eccentric
1 7.0
oddball
  • Offensive
21 7.2

Surface Forms

loony singular
loonies plural

Etymology

The noun loony comes from the same root, old lunatic and Latin luna 'moon'. Because people once believed the moon could change someone's mind, a loony is a person thought to be a 'crazy' person.