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wacko

wacko

31 8.5
Something, like a person or an idea, that is very strange
  • adjective
  • /ˈwækoʊ/
  • Offensive
: loco
  • Her ideas for the party were so wacko that no one could take them seriously.
  • completely wacko
  • totally wacko
  • so wacko

Examples

  • These guys are wacko.

  • That teacher was really wacko.

  • And to me, that meant one of three things... one of you is lying, both of you are wacko, or both of you are wrong.

  • Must remember he won back "30 or 40 years of his life" in some wacko medical treatment "in the future."

    Blog text (6)
  • You and your friends are wacko!

  • Harry, we should've known there was something wacko with that travel agent.

  • So it came as a shock when Max went completely wacko the day after his thirty-ninth birthday.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • You are wacko!

  • Besides, I reasoned, if I was being mean, which I wasn't, she deserved it; she was so wacko.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • She held the view that her family, in all its extremes, was very much the social norm; it was his own expectation that was wacko.

    Fiction book (1992)

Synonyms

nuts
vswacko
  • Offensive
578 8.6

Very crazy or doing things that show bad judgment

is used more for odd or absurd things as well as people
bizarre
vswacko
389 5.9

Very strange or unusual in a way that surprises people

emphasises oddness rather than implying madness or mental instability
insane
vswacko
  • Offensive
265 4.1

Very foolish and risky because of bad judgment

covers odd or absurd ideas or plans that may not be reckless
wacky
vswacko
  • Informal
100 5.9

Odd in a funny or silly way

is used for more serious or absurdly strange behaviour not just playful silliness
nutty
vswacko
  • Informal
64 7.2

Being a little crazy in a funny or strange way

covers stronger or more absurd behaviour than mild eccentricity
bonkers
vswacko
  • Informal
28 8.0

Acting or feeling very strange

applies more broadly to people, ideas, plans, or behaviour
kooky
vswacko
  • Informal
25 8.0

Slightly strange in a funny, pleasant way

is used more negatively for absurd or clearly crazy actions
batshit
vswacko
  • Offensive
10 9.9

An informal word for very crazy and hard to believe

is milder and can also mean simply strange or absurd rather than extreme
cracked
vswacko
  • Offensive
7 7.4

Someone who acts a little crazy

implies a stronger or more obviously absurd state than slight unbalance
wacked
vswacko
  • Slang
5 9.2

Funny and a bit strange, like a silly film or party

carries stronger sense of absurdity or serious craziness when used
whacky
vswacko
  • Informal
4 7.7

Funny in a strange or silly way

can imply harmful absurdity or serious oddness beyond playful amusement
nutty as a fruitcake
vswacko
  • Informal
1 9.0

Very strange and silly in a way that seems crazy

is used more widely for strange or absurd things without strong intensity
meshugga
vswacko
  • Slang
1 9.9

Acting very silly and not thinking clearly

focuses more on oddness or absurdity than mere foolishness

Antonyms

677 2.7

Fair and sensible in thinking and behavior

185 2.7

Showing good judgment and making practical choices

Compounds

Wacko Jacko
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A rude nickname for the singer Michael Jackson

How Crazy

insane
  • Offensive
265 4.1
wacko
  • Offensive
31 8.5
wacky
  • Informal
100 5.9
weird
  • Informal
∞ 3.2
odd
878 1.0
quirky
68 4.4

Surface Forms

wacko positive

Morphology

wacko = wack (transparent) = wack + o

Adjectival use mirrors the noun formation: the informal suffix '-o' attached to 'wack' yields an adjective meaning crazy or absurd.

Etymology

Wacko comes from wacky 'crazy' with the slang ending -o, which makes the word sound more informal and strong. That's why calling a plan or idea wacko means it feels very 'strange' or absurd.