manic

adjective

man·​ic ˈma-nik How to pronounce manic (audio)
: affected with, relating to, characterized by, or resulting from mania
had a manic personality
his manic work pace
manic noun
manically adverb

Examples of manic in a Sentence

a manic sense of humor
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The crowd’s manic energy didn’t match Trump’s quiet tone. Antonia Hitchens, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024 All of which will be dissected and debated in that manic manner peculiar to Tesla adherents. Jason Barlow, WIRED, 2 Nov. 2024 Anyone who knew Heff, even a little, had heard his manic, often brilliant disquisitions on literature, film and hip-hop and had listened to him rhapsodize about fast cars, James Dean, jazz and the horror novels of Clive Barker. Mark Oppenheimer, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Oct. 2024 He was diagnosed in 1980 with manic depressive disorder, now known as bipolar disorder, and was a heavy drinker and cocaine user. Natasha Gural, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for manic 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Greek manikós "mad, crazy," from manía "madness, frenzy, mania" + -ikos -ic entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1824, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of manic was circa 1824

Dictionary Entries Near manic

Cite this Entry

“Manic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manic. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

manic

1 of 2 adjective
man·​ic ˈman-ik How to pronounce manic (audio)
: affected with, relating to, or resembling mania
manically adverb

manic

2 of 2 noun
: an individual affected with mania

More from Merriam-Webster on manic

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!