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madman

American  
[mad-man, -muhn] / ˈmædˌmæn, -mən /

noun

plural

madmen

  1. a person who is or behaves as if insane; lunatic; maniac.

madman British  
/ ˈmædmən /

noun

  1. a man who is insane, esp one who behaves violently; lunatic

"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 madman

First recorded in 1300–50, madman is from Middle English madd man. See mad, man

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.

“I didn’t know which madman it was going to be.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 4, 2025

"Bibi acted like a madman," a White House official told the news website Axios.

From BBC • Aug. 8, 2025

But heavy metal’s favorite madman leaves us with his reminder that “You Can’t Kill Rock and Roll.”

From Slate • Jul. 25, 2025

Not only did she work with Murphy, perhaps television’s most reliable madman, but she collaborated with some of the most prestigious directors working today.

From Salon • Dec. 16, 2024

On the stern quarterdeck, Leo rushed around like a madman, checking his gauges and wrestling levers.

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan

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.