frenzy

[fren-zee]

noun

plural

frenzies 

1. a state of extreme mental agitation or wild excitement.

   There's something big businesses love about working their customers into a frenzy of anticipation.

   Antonyms: calm

2. a burst of agitated, energetic action or activity.

   Athens in the late 1960s was in the midst of a building frenzy.

3. a fit or spell of mental derangement; a paroxysm characteristic of or resulting from a mania.

   He is subject to these frenzies several times a year.

   Synonyms: raving, fury, rage, aberration, lunacy, insanity, madness
   Antonyms: sanity

verb (used with object)

frenzied, frenzying 

1. to drive into a frenzy; make frantic.

   She was frenzied by fear when she smelled the smoke.

frenzy

/ ˈfrɛnzɪ /

noun

1. violent mental derangement

2. wild excitement or agitation; distraction

3. a bout of wild or agitated activity

   a frenzy of preparations

verb

1. (tr) to make frantic; drive into a frenzy

Other Word Forms

• frenzily adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of frenzy¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English frenesie, from Old French, from Late Latin phrenēsis, from Late Greek, for Greek phrenîtis; phrenitis

Word History and Origins

Origin of frenzy¹

C14: from Old French frenesie , from Late Latin phrēnēsis madness, delirium, from Late Greek, ultimately from Greek phrēn mind; compare _frenetic

Example Sentences

Deal frenzy in the industry wasn’t a reason for hiring an adviser, Strammello said.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

The club has recouped some of that through a frenzy of player sales.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Gold’s rally is starting to look like a speculative frenzy.

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But they know in broad strokes that the numbers continued to look good long after the postpandemic hiring frenzy subsided.

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The dealmaking frenzy, which has drawn much of the technology industry into the maelstrom, has contributed to growing fears that a bubble is building in AI infrastructure.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• burst 
• craze 
• excitement 
• fever 
• free-for-all 
• furor 
• fury 
• hysteria 
• madness 
• mania 
• outburst 
• passion 
• rage 
• turmoil