go haywire

Cultural  

1. To break down or cease to function properly: “Everything was going smoothly until the computer started to go haywire.”

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go haywire Idioms  

1. Become wildly confused, out of control, or crazy. For example, The plans for the party have gone haywire, or His enemies accused the mayor of going haywire. This term alludes to the wire used for bundling hay, which is hard to handle and readily tangled. [First half of 1900s]

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Example Sentences

"We noticed our fan would go haywire at 5 Shaft. Some areas would show reduced or even reversed airflow during large rain events," Connot said.

From Science Daily • Jul. 6, 2026

It sounds like things can go haywire fast.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026

Things go haywire from here, and DeYoung has the rare opportunity to punch as hard as he possibly can.

From Salon • May 12, 2025

It makes it much easier for some immune cells to go haywire and drive excessive inflammation in the bowels.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2024

Their powers tended to make electronic gadgets go haywire.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• depart
• differ
• diverge
• vary
• veer