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Glite Dictionary
to lose one's mind

to lose one's mind

1 6.7
Become very anxious, confused, or upset and act in a way that does not make sense
  • idiom
  • /luːz wʌnz maɪnd/
  • Informal
translation icon : perder la cabeza
  • With all this stress at work, I feel like I’m losing my mind.

Examples

Synonyms

to lose it
vsto lose one's mind
  • Informal
289 7.5

Suddenly stop controlling your feelings and become very angry or upset

covers wider severe anxiety and confusion, not mainly anger
to fall apart
vsto lose one's mind
  • Informal
193 4.2

To lose control of your feelings because of strong stress or sadness

covers sudden extreme anxiety or confusion as well, not only gradual collapse
to go out of one's mind
vsto lose one's mind
  • Informal
14 7.3

To be unable to think clearly because you are very worried or upset

is focused on severe anxiety and confusion, not only insanity
to come unhinged
vsto lose one's mind
  • Informal
2 8.2

To lose control of your feelings and act very upset

is about severe anxiety or confusion rather than broad instability
to go round the bend
vsto lose one's mind
  • UK
1 8.6

To become so angry or stressed that you cannot think clearly

expresses extreme upset mixed with anxiety and confusion rather than only insanity
to lose one's head
vsto lose one's mind
  • Informal
1 6.4

To become very upset and unable to think clearly

includes similar upset but emphasizes anxiety and confusion sometimes irrational
to trip out
vsto lose one's mind
  • Informal
1 8.6

Become very upset or excited and act confused suddenly

focuses more on anxiety and confusion rather than excitement or distraction
to lose the bubble
vsto lose one's mind
  • Informal
1 9.9

Fail to follow what is happening and become confused

is stronger, involving intense anxiety or upset and possible irrationality
to lose one's yarbles
vsto lose one's mind
  • Archaic
9.9

To start behaving in a strange and out of control way

describes severe anxiety or confusion in neutral terms, not slang
to lose one's wits
vsto lose one's mind
7.9

To get very confused and unable to think clearly

adds strong anxiety or upset and sometimes irrational actions to that confusion
to lose one's shit
vsto lose one's mind
  • Offensive
9.9

To suddenly become very angry or upset in a way you cannot control

is similar emotional overwhelm but is neutral and includes anxiety or confusion
to lose the run of oneself
vsto lose one's mind
  • Archaic
9.9

Act in a confused or uncontrolled way because of strong emotion

stresses severe anxiety and upset that can include those confused behaviours
to begin to ravel
vsto lose one's mind
8.1

To start to come apart or become unclear

describes full extreme anxiety or confusion, sometimes reaching irrational behaviour

Antonyms

to keep one's cool
  • Informal
30 3.4

Stay calm and control your feelings when things are hard

How Disturbed

to go out of one's mind
  • Informal
14 7.3
to lose one's mind
  • Informal
1 6.7
to upset
362 1.0

Surface Forms

lose one's mind infinitive
losing one's mind present participle
loses one's mind third person singular
lost one's mind past
lost one's mind past participle

Morphology

lose + one's + mind

The components 'lose' + 'mind' directly suggest losing one's mental faculties or control, so a B1 learner who knows both words would probably infer a meaning like 'go crazy' or 'become mentally overwhelmed. However, the precise nuance (extreme anxiety, confusion, or irrationality) and idiomatic usage are somewhat non-literal and variable, so the sense is not fully predictable without exposure.

Etymology

Lose one's mind imagines the mind as a thing you can lose. One popular picture is of someone so tired or stressed that their clear thinking seems to walk away, which is why it now means 'to become very confused, upset, or act strangely'.