1
as in excited
informal
showing urgent desire or interest
The friends are bonkers about the new video game, and play together for hours at a time.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in insane
informal + sometimes offensive
unable to think in a clear or sensible way
She spent her last years as a totally bonkers recluse in a decaying mansion.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bonkers
There were indelible clutch moments and absolutely bonkers endings.
—
Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
Tanyard Hill, located next to Coy Hill, is home to four warehouses built in the early ’60s that also apparently yield barrels with truly bonkers levels of alcohol.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 9 Nov. 2025
Graffiti historian Roger Gastman—who helped orchestrate MOCA’s record-setting Art in the Streets show in 2011—takes over a 40,000-square-foot warehouse on the edge of Chinatown for a totally bonkers street art experience.
—Marielle Wakim, Los Angeles Magazine, 21 June 2018
Hulu’s new show from the creator of Luther is a totally bonkers melange of sci-fi scenarios, global doom, and stabbiness.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2018
Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
Tanyard Hill, located next to Coy Hill, is home to four warehouses built in the early ’60s that also apparently yield barrels with truly bonkers levels of alcohol.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 9 Nov. 2025
Graffiti historian Roger Gastman—who helped orchestrate MOCA’s record-setting Art in the Streets show in 2011—takes over a 40,000-square-foot warehouse on the edge of Chinatown for a totally bonkers street art experience.
—Marielle Wakim, Los Angeles Magazine, 21 June 2018
Hulu’s new show from the creator of Luther is a totally bonkers melange of sci-fi scenarios, global doom, and stabbiness.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bonkers
Adjective
-
These customer success stories have got investors excited.—
David Prosser,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
A lot of kids were excited to see the live painting, because now kids are used to being on their phones.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
In any other historical period, proposing such a career trajectory would’ve seemed mildly insane — like if Peter Buck had followed up Fables of the Reconstruction by producing Whitney Houston instead of the Feelies.—
Jon Dolan,
Rolling Stone,
14 May 2026
-
For so much of the season, Rachel is low-key stoned, which can keep her at a remove, even when things are getting really insane.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
The audience broke into cheers twice during the screening of the home-invasion thriller before giving the French pic wildly enthusiastic applause as the lights went up.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
22 May 2026
-
Ordinarily, the Texan midfielder is a relentlessly enthusiastic presence in the American locker room.—
Leander Schaerlaeckens,
New Yorker,
22 May 2026
Adjective
-
There, a mad, out-of-control Mary lives on as tenaciously as George Washington’s inability to tell a lie.—
Thomas Mallon,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
At this maddest of sporting institutions, that is perhaps the craziest hope of all.—
Tom Williams,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
An avid skier since childhood, William spent a holiday with his mom in Switzerland in March 1992.—
Brendan Le,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
-
Barker, 26, has spent the past few years amassing an avid fan base on YouTube with his sketch comedy channel, That’s a Bad Idea.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
Thank god because the Special pitch was, said with love to my younger self, psychotic.—
Ryan O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
4 May 2026
-
Leaving people with serious, untreated psychotic illnesses to publicly deteriorate isn’t compassion in the slightest.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Sometimes there’s an English language barrier, but everyone is patient and eager to make your stay memorable.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026
-
Joelle D'Alencar, the owner of the business, is eager to help new customers feel comfortable.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
John Boyega's ex-Stormtrooper Finn and Han are brothers from another mother, Oscar Isaac's pilot Poe is as cool and refreshing as a tall glass of blue milk, and Adam Driver's Kylo does his best Vader impression as a maniacal villain with some serious emotional issues.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
20 May 2026
-
No, Kenny Atkinson insisted a bug was taking his voice, not the Detroit Pistons and this maniacal Game 5 victory.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bonkers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bonkers. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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