Synonyms

maniacally

American

[muh-nahy-uh-klee] / məˈnaɪ ə kli /

adverb

in a way that is reminiscent of a violently insane person.

A touch on the shoulder would likely be received differently from a smiling person than from a person who is laughing maniacally.
in an overzealous or excessively enthusiastic way; fanatically.

Far from being the maniacally focused, late-night or early-morning types, truly creative innovators and problem solvers have a rich life outside of work.
in a way that is related to or typical of manic disorder.

I can tell I'm maniacally spending if I stop and pay attention to how many purchases I have to return.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of maniacally

maniacal ( def. ) + -ly

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 don’t think we have the luxury of picking just one and staying maniacally focused on it because it could be that you pick the wrong one and then you’re making bad decisions,” Hammack said.

From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026

Game 3 was a one-sided clunker, but Game 1, Game 2 and Game 4 all went to sudden-death OT —hockey’s equivalent of dangling you over a bridge by your shoelaces while laughing maniacally.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 13, 2025

"Next to the vomiting, gurning, maniacally grinning Keaton, she can’t help but seem a little bland and strait-laced."

From BBC • Sep. 9, 2024

“Singularly, almost maniacally, devoted to one thing, they practice an attention to detail that is as precise and exacting as it is gorgeous in its finished quality.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2024

“As a matter of fact, she does!” he replies, equally maniacally.

From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023