manic
Americanadjective
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of manic
First recorded in 1900–05, manic is from the Greek word manikós inclined to madness. See mania, -ic
Explanation
Manic means frenzied. If you drink 18 cups of coffee in a single sitting and haven't slept for three days, chances are you're manic. If manic sounds like maniac to you, you're on the right track. Someone who is in a manic state is affected by mania. If you're manic you're in a wound-up, fast-acting, unhinged wild state. People with bi-polar disorder experience manic highs and terrible lows. Other things can be manic, too, like the pace of city life or the flabmoyant outfit you're wearing with seven different colors and eight different patterns.
Vocabulary lists containing manic
Wonder
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One of Us Is Lying
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Psychological Conditions and Disorders
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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.
The lead single from her second album, That Day, was a free-verse stream-of-consciousness that sounded like a manic inner monologue.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026
Wall Street is betting on Fed Chair Kevin Warsh to keep a manic bond market from unraveling.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 4, 2026
I do experience some manic phases from time to time, where I can’t stop doing things like painting or writing songs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Jasheem Benson, who runs Aervue Air Conditioning in Birmingham, described business as "manic" with sales doubling since March.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
Peter was a manic ball of energy and would walk around praising a well-executed attack or correcting a failed attempt to score.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
