deranged
AmericanOther Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of deranged
Explanation
Deranged means insane. You've probably read headlines about deranged murderers, but someone might also be called deranged for bizarre behavior like wearing a bathing suit while skiing. Crazed, insane, demented, unbalanced, and unhinged are all synonyms for deranged. The literal meaning for deranged was originally “out of order," so think of it as describing someone whose thoughts are not in order. The madwoman in Bronte’s Jane Eyre is a classic deranged character: “In the deep shade, at the farther end of the room, a figure ran backwards and forwards. What it was, whether beast or human being, one could not, at first sight tell.”
Vocabulary lists containing deranged
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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.
A spokesperson for the Department of the Interior, which manages the National Mall in downtown Washington, described the incident as "deranged vandalism" and said it "will not be tolerated."
From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026
Wineman isn’t afraid to spelunk truly deranged depths, but what’s remarkable is how much style he incorporates into the film’s most outré moments.
From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026
The final scene, in which Titus enters dressed as a chef, a cream puff of a toque jauntily placed on his head—he’s baked those unpalatable pies—retains its deranged tone.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
Hemming said: "He absolutely flipped into a deranged state."
From BBC • Feb. 28, 2026
I have found that the elderly can be either deranged or sagacious.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
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.
