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Synonyms

barmy

American  
[bahr-mee] / ˈbɑr mi /

adjective

barmier, barmiest
  1. containing or resembling barm; frothy.

  2. British Slang. balmy.


barmy British  
/ ˈbɑːmɪ /

adjective

  1. Also: balmy. slang eccentric or foolish

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of barmy

1525–35; barm + -y 1; barmy def. 2 probably respelling of balmy by r-less speakers


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The leader of South Kesteven District Council says he is considering a legal challenge over "barmy" plans to reorganise local government in Lincolnshire.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

Predicting the weather over the next 72 hours, Krick favors what might generously be termed a historically informed approach and what might ungenerously be dubbed barmy pseudoscience.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026

That may sound barmy, what with all the ships being deployed in and around the Arabian Sea for weeks already, and reports that the military is running out of munitions.

From Salon ● May 12, 2026

In practice, it was, well, a bit barmy.

From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2025

“Nothing over there but bogland and barmy weather.”

From "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs

Ah yes, the festival of festivals was back after two years of Covid cancellations, bigger and barmier than ever before,

From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2022

It revels in building opportunities for daft exchanges, the barmier the better:

From New York Times ● Jan. 19, 2021

Only the barmiest of armies could have resisted the urge to stick with the original.

From BBC ● Dec. 29, 2013

This barmiest of armies seems not to have noticed, but appetite for Wednesday's fixture within the game is somewhere between microscopic and nonexistent.

From The Guardian ● Aug. 7, 2010

Grease, in its barmiest days near projuced a more hefty cavileer.

From Half-Hours with Great Story-Tellers by Various

Grease, in its barmiest days, near projuced a more hefty cavileer.

From The Complete Works of Artemus Ward — Part 3: Stories and Romances by Artemus Ward

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