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.
Tendring District Council chief executive Ian Davidson - who is the acting returning officer for the by-election in the Essex constituency - said organising the vote had been "manic".
From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026
But when we’re just focused on Early, hoping to outrun Maddie’s demons in manic aerobics sessions of deliriously complex choreography, the movie feels like a spell.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
The World Cup is only two days old, but in the space of 24 manic hours, I can tell you that I’ve seen the past and the future of this tournament.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 13, 2026
Mr. Hernández has a febrile energy that finds him bounding around the stage with a convincingly youthful, manic intensity, as if new love has pushed his adrenaline into overdrive.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
Lady Constance returned to her seat and fixed Penelope with a bright, almost manic stare.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
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.
