mad

Examples

• All

• Until all those sweet, mad ideas built up enough to set him off again.

  Fiction book (1991)

• More recently, scientists in film have become less mad but no less dangerous.

  Academic text (1995)

• I must be mad to even consider this.

  Come Play with Me (1977)

• And before long you find that you are throwing mad money after good.

• I went on this mad "I want a baby" quest.

  The End We Start From (2023)

• And tell me about some of the mad countries you've been to and why.

• Some of the townspeople panic and scapegoat the mad real estate agent.

  Academic text (1993)

• I know it’s mad to even think about it... but if anyone could make a go of it... it’d be you.

  Cabrini (2024)

• I think you're mad.

  Antony and Cleopatra (1972)

• He had a mad idea that we could solve the world's problems overnight.

Synonyms

I

insane

vsmad

• Offensive

265 4.1

Very foolish and risky because of bad judgment

is milder and refers to wild impracticality rather than extreme unreason

N

nutty

vsmad

• Informal

64 7.2

Being a little crazy in a funny or strange way

denotes very foolish or wildly impractical ideas or actions

H

harebrained

vsmad

• Informal

9 8.5

An idea or plan that is very foolish and not well thought out

is more about wild impracticality and general lack of sense

M

meshugana

vsmad

• Offensive

1 9.9

Very silly or clearly crazy

is a neutral description for very foolish ideas or actions

Antonyms

R

rational

347 3.8

Based on clear thinking and facts rather than emotion

S

sensible

185 2.7

Showing good judgment and making practical choices

Idioms

L

like mad

• Informal

13 8.1

Act very quickly and with great effort

R

raving mad

• Informal

7 7.2

Acting or speaking in a wild, not sensible way

M

mad about

3 3.5

Very excited about someone or something you like a lot

M

mad as a wet hen

• Informal

1 9.8

Very angry or upset

B

boiling mad

• Informal

1 4.8

Feeling very angry

M

mad as a meat axe

• Archaic

1 9.9

Very angry and acting without thinking

O

out of Mad Max

• UK

1 9.9

Very chaotic and dangerous like scenes from the Mad Max films

M

mad with excitement

1 5.3

Very excited and unable to stay calm

M

mad as a cut snake

• Australian

1 9.9

Feeling extremely angry and acting wildly

M

mad enough to chew nails

• Archaic

1 9.9

Very angry and ready to do something extreme

R

rip-snorting mad

• Informal

1 9.5

Being very angry and hard to calm

A

as fierce as a mad dog

• Informal

9.1

Very angry and ready to attack

M

mad as a mongoose

• Informal

9.9

Very angry and unable to stay calm

M

mad as hops

• Archaic

9.9

Feeling very angry and showing it

G

to get glad in the same pants one got mad in

• Informal

9.9

To stop being angry and be happy again without changing anything

Compounds

M

mad dog

• Offensive

21 7.9

A person who acts violently and without control

M

mad cow disease

• Specialized

19 3.8

A deadly disease of cows that damages the brain and can make people sick if they eat the meat

M

mad money

• US

3 6.7

A small amount of money kept for treats or unplanned fun

M

mad apple

• Archaic

1 9.9

A large purple vegetable with shiny skin that you cook and eat

M

mad-dog skullcap

• Archaic

1 9.9

A North American herb of the mint family once used to treat seizures and nervous problems

M

mad woman's custard

• Archaic

9.9

A very messy, confused mix of things in one place

M

mad-dog weed

• Archaic

9.9

An American mint plant that makes a sticky substance once used to ease muscle spasms

How Foolish

absurd

284 4.4

mad

• Informal

45 3.3

foolish

383 1.3

ill-advised

22 5.4

misguided

109 4.6

Surface Forms

Etymology