unhinged 1 of 2

adjective

ˌən-ˈhinjd How to pronounce unhinged (audio)
Definition of unhingednext
as in psychotic
unable to think in a clear or sensible way destined to become one of the nation's most notorious serial killers, he apparently became unhinged as a result of being abandoned as a young teen

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

unhinged

2 of 2

verb

past tense of unhinge
1
as in disturbed
to cause to go insane or as if insane the endless harassment by the guards completely unhinged the prisoners of war

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in alarmed
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy I was momentarily unhinged by the unexpected question

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 unhinged
Adjective
The New Zealander drew international acclaim for roles as gruff loners and unhinged villains. — Harrison Smith, Washington Post, 13 July 2026 That epithet is more unhinged than any of the examples the Tribune Editorial Board gives in the editorial. — Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026
Verb
Even in her exaggerated innocence, there’s something delightfully unhinged about her. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 10 July 2026 Unfortunately, neighbor Sandy (Kelsey Pribilski) is unhinged and has some opinions about Sarah’s potential changes to the property, and things get dark quickly. — William Earl, Variety, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for unhinged
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhinged
  1. psychotic
  2. disturbed
  3. alarmed
  4. insane
  5. crazed
  6. distracted
  7. mad
  8. deranged
Adjective
  • The evaluator concluded the elder Henrichsen likely merited a diagnosis of schizophrenia or another psychotic disorder.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026
  • In a recent eight-week stretch, 6% of my postpartum patients met criteria for a psychotic disorder—almost six times higher than rates published in the medical literature.
    — Uruj Kamal Haider, Time, 21 July 2026
Definition of psychotic
Verb
  • The gunk Bondurant observed was likely didymo disturbed off the bottom of the river by people swimming and walking around.
    — Hannah Smith July 25, Idaho Statesman, 25 July 2026
  • By contrast, ecological systems are complexly interconnected, meaning that when one element is disturbed, all the other components linked to it are affected, too, spreading the disturbance throughout the system.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
Definition of disturbed
Verb
  • There is currently no evidence that this is the case, and news reports suggest that OpenAI’s own safety teams were alarmed by the incident.
    — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 24 July 2026
  • America’s Poison Centers’s national helpline receives more than 60,000 calls about possible vitamin poisoning every year, mostly from parents alarmed after their children have accidentally gorged on the chewy sweets.
    — Cat Rainsford, Popular Science, 23 July 2026
Definition of alarmed
Adjective
  • Dominguez, who was declared legally insane the day after the verdicts, will be sent to a state mental hospital.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 27 July 2026
  • These were two insane asks — a 7-foot giant and an 8-year-old kid who has to be your second lead.
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 23 July 2026
Definition of insane
Verb
  • If the lenses are badly crazed, meaning marred by microscopic cracks in the lens surface, or moisture is trapped inside the housing, replacement is the better option.
    — John Paul, The Providence Journal, 3 July 2026
  • The story quickly captivated an American public already more space-crazed than usual, thanks to the recent success of Artemis II.
    — Govert Schilling, Scientific American, 27 June 2026
Definition of crazed
Verb
  • He was distracted by his own grief, and so was everyone else.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026
  • And while the fall prestige slate has not been revealed, the Academy membership has a habit of falling for a summer release in July and then being distracted by new, shiny objects in January.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 23 July 2026
Definition of distracted
Adjective
  • But Carveout 2160 is a new IP in snowboarding, which was responsible for the fastest and maddest games of the era.
    — Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
  • Tamra is right; Shannon and some of the other cast are looking for things to get mad about, taking tiny things and blowing them up.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 24 July 2026
Definition of mad
Verb
  • Frank, moving, and just slightly deranged.
    — Namara Smith, New Yorker, 10 June 2026
  • Only sick, demented, or deranged people in the House or Senate could vote against THE SAVE AMERICA ACT.
    — Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of deranged

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Cite this Entry

“Unhinged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhinged. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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