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

For drivers accustomed to the splash-and-dash of gasoline, sitting around for a half-hour at a public charger looked like an act of madness.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sustained proximity drives even family members to occasional madness.

From The Wall Street Journal

Many people thought it was madness, but Ivo, convinced of his decision, packed everything into a small truck and drove nine hours with his son to Belo Horizonte.

From BBC

Yet in this staging the madness works on multiple levels.

From The Wall Street Journal

That he didn’t just crush the egg and spit it out is testament either to his dedication or his madness.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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