insane

adjective

(ˌ)in-ˈsān How to pronounce insane (audio)
Definition of insanenext
1
as in mad
unable to think in a clear or sensible way After learning of the robbery, they were insane with anger and foolishly searched the neighborhood looking for their belongings.

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2
as in absurd
conceived or made without regard for reason or reality a completely insane plan to build an opera house in the middle of nowhere

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3
as in stupid
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment an insane plan to blow all of their savings on lottery tickets

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4
as in excessive
going beyond a normal or acceptable limit in degree or amount wanted an insane amount of money to paint our house

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of insane Content creators who promote this kind of lifestyle are earning insane sums—one streamer named Adin Ross is raking in $30,000 to $50,000 an hour, Sasha reports. — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2026 But, sure enough, the wish backfires as Nikki is driven completely insane by her love for him. — Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 16 Aug. 2026 And their friendship, a folie à deux spiral of insane ideas powered by ungodly quantities of pot, becomes akin to a superpower. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026 In the book, a man known only as the Shepherd, a one-handed, somewhat insane preacher, starts turning the masses of King’s Landing against the Targaryens — and their dragons. — James Grebey, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for insane
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insane
  1. mad
  2. absurd
  3. stupid
  4. excessive
  5. maniacal
  6. bizarre
  7. crazy
  8. extreme
Adjective
  • Frequent zoom-ins shown on screens showed sweat dripping down his face, and his hair resembled something similar to a mad scientist after an experiment blows up in their face.
    — Joseph Hernandez August 13, Kansas City Star, 13 Aug. 2026
  • These statements and actions, some conservatives said at the time in a finger-wagging tone, demonstrated that mass suicide at the feet of a power-mad dictator was the predictable result of radical left-wing politics.
    — James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of mad
Adjective
  • There has been something almost absurd about Ferran Torres’ summer.
    — Laia Cervelló Herrero, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • SpaceX’s Starlink constellation currently performs an average of 1,000 maneuvers a day to dodge potential collisions, a number that would have seemed absurd just a decade ago.
    — Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of absurd
Adjective
  • The Dodge Durango Hellcat is the most accessible way to go stupid-fast in a three-row family car thanks to the Escalade V‘s high price tag.
    — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Proudly stupid and surprisingly sweet, Dylan Meyer’s stoner buddy comedy is a tribute to friendship best enjoyed with your own ride-or-die by your side — joints optional.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of stupid
Adjective
  • This past weekend saw Monterey Car Week at perhaps its most excessive ever.
    — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The ranchers said the park service saddled them with excessive rules and regulations.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of excessive
Adjective
  • Especially after a clunker of a season in 2025, superstar receiver Justin Jefferson won’t settle for anything other than maniacal attention to detail on and off the field.
    — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 28 July 2026
  • The odd thing about this choice is that, although the DSA’s platform is indeed chock-full of maniacal proposals, on this particular idea, the maniacs have a point.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026
Definition of maniacal
Adjective
  • But Ecuadorian authorities have remained mostly silent about the bizarre incidents.
    — Michael Rios, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Bobby’s color palette is bizarre, and her idea of a sash that transforms into a shawl scarf is really cool but executed poorly.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of bizarre
Adjective
  • But the mysterious diamond’s true journey is crazier than any tale.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Go glass-crazy at the Lincoln City Glass Center, Mor Art, or Volta, and learn about local history at the North Lincoln County Historical Museum.
    — Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of crazy
Adjective
  • Madrid asked everyone involved to move with extreme discretion.
    — Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • This problem is anticipated to worsen as more AI providers adopt watermarking, creating a fertile environment for scams and deception, thus users are urged to exercise extreme caution.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of extreme

Browse Nearby Words

ins and outs
insane
insanely
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Cite this Entry

“Insane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insane. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of insane for Spanish Speakers

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