demented
Americanadjective
-
crazy; insane; mad.
- Synonyms:
- unbalanced, deranged, crazed, lunatic
-
affected with dementia.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of demented
Explanation
Demented is an adjective describing behavior that is crazy, unhinged, or insane. Someone is demented when they have gone off the deep end. Demented literally means "suffering from dementia," although in current culture it is used quite often to tease a sibling or good friend: "My brother thinks I am demented because I like to eat peanut butter and salami sandwiches."
Vocabulary lists containing demented
Speak
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The Pigman
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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.
Soprano Inna Dukach’s scenery-chewing Vanessa seemed demented from the start, oversinging the role in the small space.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 18, 2026
It’s positively demented, but it’s not insanity for insanity’s sake.
From Salon ● Apr. 5, 2026
Doug feverishly bangs out a script and Griff, who plans to star in the remake, calls it “a masterpiece,” though the demented glint in Mr. Black’s eyes assures us it’s anything but.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 24, 2025
During his early career, Shepard savaged Vietnam-era conservatism, preferring the hippie vibe of the Bay Area to what he called the “sprawling, demented snake of L.A. to the south.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2025
“It’s Thursday, March twenty-ninth!” she basically screamed, a demented smile plastered to her face.
From "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
