variants
also maniac
as in psychotic
unable to think in a clear or sensible way
The show's maniacal villain has no method to his madness.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of maniacal
There’s one sound on earth that will never get old, and that’s Johnny Knoxville’s maniacal cackle when someone has been injured.
—
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 27 Apr. 2026
Bones is a pretty stellar action heroine, if only for her rah-rah speeches and her maniacal laughter in the face of men who seek to control her.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
Back then, in the musical adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis‘ best-seller — with music and lyrics by Duncan Sheik and a book by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa — Doctor Who star Matt Smith took on New York yuppie and increasingly maniacal investment banker Patrick Bateman.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Americans should look to that history in setting expectations for what happens next in Iran now that another batch of maniacal Middle East murderers have been sent hurtling through the gates of hell.
—Nolan Finley, Twin Cities, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for maniacal
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 27 Apr. 2026
Bones is a pretty stellar action heroine, if only for her rah-rah speeches and her maniacal laughter in the face of men who seek to control her.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
Back then, in the musical adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis‘ best-seller — with music and lyrics by Duncan Sheik and a book by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa — Doctor Who star Matt Smith took on New York yuppie and increasingly maniacal investment banker Patrick Bateman.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Americans should look to that history in setting expectations for what happens next in Iran now that another batch of maniacal Middle East murderers have been sent hurtling through the gates of hell.
—Nolan Finley, Twin Cities, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for maniacal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maniacal
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
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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
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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
-
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
-
Kristine had a crazy tough-love phase.—
Rachel Handler,
Vulture,
18 May 2026
-
People are finding these crazy venues to play.—
Siran Babayan,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Her character’s mental unraveling was mirrored in real life when Lasser, at the height of her celebrity and just weeks after Mary’s breakdown episode aired, hosted Saturday Night Live.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
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On top of that, there is a serious mental component.—
Nicole Williams,
AJC.com,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Maniacal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maniacal. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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