madly

[ mad-lee ]

adverb

1. insanely or wildly:

   The old witch cackled madly.

2. with desperate haste or intensity; furiously:

   They worked madly to repair the bridge.

3. foolishly:

   They lived madly, wasting all their money.

4. extremely:

   They're madly in love.

madly

/ ˈmædlɪ /

adverb

1. in an insane or foolish manner
2. with great speed and energy
3. informal.
   extremely or excessively

   I love you madly

Word History and Origins

Origin of madly¹

A Middle English word dating back to 1175–1225; mad, -ly

Example Sentences

After being married for 60-plus years, I am madly in love with my wife.

From Ozy

The two connected on multiple levels — spiritual, physical, artistic, political — and fell madly in love.

From Ozy

When a woman he had been madly in love with broke up with him, I spent many evenings listening to how amazing she was and pouring the wine for him.

From Time

This view of an unhinged de Vil driving madly through the city is a familiar one.

From Washington Post

For many, the experience is similar to madly refreshing the Ticketmaster page in hopes of scoring rare concert tickets, except they aren’t quite signing up to see Bruce Springsteen or Ariana Grande.

From Washington Post

“Still Madly Crazy” is a fairly typical piano ballad that nonetheless transcends the genre for two reasons.

From The Daily Beast

Florida teens Brandon Goode and Alex Hollinghurst were madly in love, and wanted to run away together.

From The Daily Beast

Offers Ukraine aid package of… (twisting pinky finger in the corner of his mouth and grinning madly) …ONE BILLION DOLLARS.

From The Daily Beast

After a series of flirtatious encounters in the park, the two fall madly, passionately in love.

From The Daily Beast

It pulls you in, makes you fall madly in love, and then, as in all affairs, the honeymoon period ends.

From The Daily Beast

The moment was an awkward one, and Cynthia wished madly that she had not been prompted to ask that unfortunate question.

From Project Gutenberg

On the state-coach went, down the steep, driving the mules madly before it.

From Project Gutenberg

It was a thought worthy of his black nature, but that he madly loved the girl, there was no doubt.

From Project Gutenberg

Thenceforth, it ebbed, though it raged madly for a while in the effort to sweep away the obstruction.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus, when the audience madly rushed for an exit, numerous individuals were crushed since the doors could not be opened outwardly.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• crazily
• desperately
• energetically
• excitedly
• foolishly
• frantically
• furiously
• hastily
• hysterically
• intensely
• passionately
• recklessly
• tumultuously
• violently