craze

American  

[kreyz] / kreɪz /

verb (used with object)

crazed, crazing

1. to derange or impair the mind of; make insane.

   He was crazed by jealousy.

2. to make small cracks on the surface of (a ceramic glaze, paint, or the like); crackle.

3. British Dialect. to crack.

4. Archaic. to weaken; impair.

   to craze one's health.

5. Obsolete. to break; shatter.

---

verb (used without object)

crazed, crazing

1. to become insane; go mad.

2. to become minutely cracked, as a ceramic glaze; crackle.

3. Metallurgy.

   1. (of a case-hardened object) to develop reticulated surface markings; worm.

   2. (of an ingot) to develop an alligator skin as a result of being teemed into an old and worn mold.

4. Archaic. to fall to pieces; break.

noun

1. a popular or widespread fad, fashion, etc.; mania.

   the newest dance craze.

   Synonyms:

   mode, vogue

2. insanity; an insane condition.

3. a minute crack or pattern of cracks in the glaze of a ceramic object.

4. Obsolete. flaw; defect.

craze British  

/ kreɪz /

noun

1. a short-lived current fashion

2. a wild or exaggerated enthusiasm

   a craze for chestnuts

3. mental disturbance; insanity

---

verb

1. to make or become mad

2. ceramics metallurgy to develop or cause to develop a fine network of cracks

3. archaic (tr) to break

4. archaic (tr) to weaken

Etymology

Origin of craze

1325–75; Middle English crasen to crush < Scandinavian; compare Swedish, Norwegian krasa to shatter, crush

Example Sentences

Some have a lot of exposure to tech stocks and believe gold could act as an uncorrelated asset should the artificial intelligence craze come to an end.

From Barron's

Labubu dolls made by Chinese toy maker Pop Mart became a global craze.

From The Wall Street Journal

“I don’t understand this kale craze,” she mutters to herself.

From Literature

He says he was inspired by farmers’ markets in Los Angeles and grab-and-go shops in the Hamptons—places that epitomized the current craze for all things healthy.

From The Wall Street Journal

False claims on these foods can be especially hard to combat because they become crazes so quickly on social media.

From BBC

Related Words

• enthusiasm
• fever
• furor
• mania
• passion
• rage
• trend