madcap

adjective

mad·​cap ˈmad-ˌkap How to pronounce madcap (audio)
Synonyms of madcap
: marked by capriciousness, recklessness, or foolishness
madcap noun

Synonyms of madcap

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of madcap in a Sentence

a madcap scheme to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
With its hairpin turns and madcap improvisations, the odyssey at the book’s center can seem, says our reviewer, like something sketched out by Jules Verne. — Danny Heitman, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Aug. 2026 Puck is a madcap character in maybe Shakespeare’s most madcap play. — Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 19 July 2026 This July will include an intriguing mix of madcap comedies, sweeping action epics and independent fare hoping to get as many viewers into theaters — or in front of their televisions — as possible. — David Faris, TheWeek, 6 July 2026 One of the more madcap titles on this list, A Town Called Panic, from Belgian directors Stéphane Aubier and Vincent Patar, is wall-to-wall sight gags and surrealist moments. — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for madcap

Word History

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of madcap was in 1591

Rhymes for madcap

See All Rhymes for madcap

Browse Nearby Words

mad-brained
madcap
mad cow disease
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Madcap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/madcap. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

madcap

adjective
mad·​cap ˈmad-ˌkap How to pronounce madcap (audio)
: reckless, wild
madcap noun

More from Merriam-Webster on madcap

Nglish: Translation of madcap for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of vacuous

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All