maniacal

American  

[muh-nahy-uh-kuhl] / məˈnaɪ ə kəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to mania or a maniac.

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maniacal British  

/ məˈnaɪəkəl, ˈmeɪnɪæk /

adjective

1. affected with or characteristic of mania

2. characteristic of or befitting a maniac

   maniacal laughter

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Other Word Forms

• maniacally adverb
• postmaniacal adjective
• premaniacal adjective
• submaniacal adjective
• unmaniacal adjective

Etymology

Origin of maniacal

First recorded in 1670–80; maniac + -al ¹

Example Sentences

At the Milan Cortina Games, a maniacal Norwegian named Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo has turned the quiet world of Nordic skiing on its head with a frenetic sprinting technique that he concocted with his grandfather.

From The Wall Street Journal

If you’re reading this review of Gore Verbinski’s maniacal farce “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” in newsprint, congratulations on being a Luddite.

From Los Angeles Times

Renata and Livingston continued at top speed, eager to get away from the maniacal pirate with his deadly toast.

From Literature

By relying on a rigorous cadence—clear roles for containment, crisp communications and a maniacal mission focus—we didn’t just survive; we turned a skeptic into a raging fan.

From The Wall Street Journal

“It’s that discipline mentally, physically, that maniacal focus that makes you the best in the world.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• delirious