1
: the quality or state of being mad: such as
a
: a state of severe mental illness
—not used technically
… fortifications against an inner darkness, the threat of madness that crouched above him throughout his life.—
Robert F. Moss
Robert F. Moss
b
: behavior or thinking that is very foolish or dangerous : extreme folly
an idea that is pure/sheer madness
c
d
: intense anger : rage
2
: any of several ailments of animals marked by frenzied behavior
specifically
: rabies
Synonyms
Examples of madness in a Sentence
He suffered a series of tragedies that nearly drove him to madness.
Her friends told her the idea was pure madness, but she went through with it anyway.
It was the height of madness for him to drive at such high speeds!
Recent Examples on the Web
This species of madness that infects the nation Airman Bushnell’s moral sacrifice disdains.
—Kary Love, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Perkins pushes back against logic in favor of entertaining midnight madness, and death has never been funnier or gorier.
—Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 4 Feb. 2025
But with a few notable exceptions, America’s business leaders were silent about the sheer madness of Trump’s launching a trade war without legitimate justification.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2025
Trust us, there’s not just a method to this madness—it's backed by science, too.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for madness 
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.
Kary Love, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Perkins pushes back against logic in favor of entertaining midnight madness, and death has never been funnier or gorier.
—Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 4 Feb. 2025
But with a few notable exceptions, America’s business leaders were silent about the sheer madness of Trump’s launching a trade war without legitimate justification.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2025
Trust us, there’s not just a method to this madness—it's backed by science, too.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for madness
Dictionary Entries Near madness
Cite this Entry
“Madness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/madness. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share