madness

American  

[mad-nis] / ˈmæd nɪs /

noun

1. the state of being mad; insanity.

2. senseless folly.

   It is sheer madness to speak as you do.

3. frenzy; rage.

4. intense excitement or enthusiasm.

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madness British  

/ ˈmædnɪs /

noun

1. insanity; lunacy

2. extreme anger, excitement, or foolishness

3. a nontechnical word for rabies

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madness Idioms  

1. see method in one's madness.

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Other Word Forms

• premadness noun

Etymology

Origin of madness

First recorded in 1350–1400, madness is from the Middle English word madnesse. See mad, -ness

Example Sentences

To be sure, there is method in the madness.

From Barron's

He worked hard, but he must have been wondering what madness had descended on him.

From BBC

Act 2 is about her madness; Act 3 about Arturo’s return and her recovery.

From The Wall Street Journal

And on Thursday night in New Orleans, college football’s weekend of madness saved its wildest spectacle for last.

From The Wall Street Journal

Rather than trying never to repeat their mistakes, we worked to emulate the madness of their methods.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• absurdity
• craziness
• delusion
• foolishness
• hysteria
• lunacy
• mania
• mental illness
• stupidity