insanity

[in-san-i-tee]

noun

plural

insanities 

1. (not in technical use as a medical diagnosis) the condition of being insane; a derangement of the mind.

   Synonyms: madness, lunacy, aberration, mania, craziness

2. Law.,  such unsoundness of mind as frees one from legal responsibility, as for committing a crime, or as signals one's lack of legal capacity, as for entering into a contractual agreement.

3. Psychiatry.,  (formerly) psychosis.

4. 1. extreme foolishness.

      Trying to drive through that traffic would be pure insanity.

   2. a foolish or senseless action, policy, statement, etc..

      We've heard decades of insanities in our political discourse.

insanity

/ ɪnˈsænɪtɪ /

noun

1. relatively permanent disorder of the mind; state or condition of being insane

2. law a defect of reason as a result of mental illness, such that a defendant does not know what he or she is doing or that it is wrong

3. utter folly; stupidity

Word History and Origins

Origin of insanity¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin insānitāt-, stem of insānitās “unsoundness of mind, insanity”; in- ³, sanity

Example Sentences

While initially convicted of first-degree murder in Worden’s death, he was eventually declared not guilty by reason of insanity — diagnosed as schizophrenic — and was institutionalized until his death due to complications from cancer in 1984.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, then Dave Roberts is clearly certifiable.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

While she did kill her children, she was "not guilty of murder by reason of insanity," her lawyer said.

Read more on BBC

Garry: Martin's tactics are the definition of insanity - doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results.

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"She has killed her children but she is not guilty of murder by reason of insanity," Ms Smith said.

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Related Words

• absurdity 
• alienation 
• craziness 
• folly 
• frenzy 
• hysteria 
• irresponsibility www.thesaurus.com
• lunacy 
• madness 
• mental disorder