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

submaniacally adverb
unmaniacally adverb

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.

While the quote is accurate, the image of Schumer maniacally grinning as he says it is completely fabricated.

From Salon • Nov. 29, 2025

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

Nearly three decades after being the maniacally driven quarterback who wasn’t afraid to square up with his defensive teammate, Harbaugh is bringing the same fire to the franchise as its head coach.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 6, 2024

In a five-star review, the Guardian said it was "beautiful, brilliant and maniacally unmissable".

From BBC • Feb. 16, 2024

Suddenly he falls into a Capitol accent as he mimics Effie Trinket, the maniacally upbeat woman who arrives once a year to read out the names at the leaping.

From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

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