Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for madcap. Search instead for madcaps.
Synonyms

madcap

American  
[mad-kap] / ˈmædˌkæp /

adjective

  1. wildly or heedlessly impulsive; reckless; rash.

    a madcap scheme.


noun

  1. a madcap person.

madcap British  
/ ˈmædˌkæp /

adjective

  1. impulsive, reckless, or lively

"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

noun

  1. an impulsive, reckless, or lively person

"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 madcap

First recorded in 1580–90; mad + cap 1

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.

For 35 years, Mr. Self has continued in a similar vein, dazzling and sometimes wearying his readers with his madcap plots and lexical pyrotechnics.

From The Wall Street Journal

In a staggering contest of 13 tries and 90 points, Gregor Townsend's men were astonishing in every way until a madcap endgame that saw France run in a battery of tries.

From BBC

The Warriors had led until the end of the third quarter, before a madcap finish saw 12 lead changes, with regular time ending 101-101.

From Barron's

But several of those madcap ideas flummoxed fans—Carlin pointed to the 1972 single “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” which was inspired by the nursery rhyme.

From The Wall Street Journal

The wryly funny “Seasons” is hardly a madcap romp in Nazi-occupied Warsaw, but it does have some kinship with “To Be or Not to Be,” the Ernst Lubitsch comedy of 1942.

From The Wall Street Journal