1
as in frantically
in a confused and reckless manner
dashed madly around the house during last-minute preparations for the party
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2
as in enthusiastically
in an enthusiastic manner
the young singer has been so madly praised by the critics you'd think she had invented singing itself
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Recent Examples of madly
Their interaction was one of the many nostalgic film reunions of the night.
Ghost, also starring Patrick Swayze and Tony Goldwyn, follows Sam Wheat (Swayze) and Molly Jensen (Moore), who are madly in love.
—
Michelle Lee, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025
When Luigi arrived, tail wagging madly, students from throughout the school came to play with him — including some who had otherwise refused to return to campus.
—Emily Baumgaertner Nunn, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025
Today’s Wordle Etymology The word madly comes from mad (meaning insane, foolish, or intense in emotion) + -ly, a suffix used to form adverbs.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
Her theft results in the throwers of those coins—played by Will Arnett, Danny DeVito, Jon Heder, and Bell’s future husband Dax Shepard—falling madly in love with her.
—Shannon Carlin, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for madly
Michelle Lee, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025
When Luigi arrived, tail wagging madly, students from throughout the school came to play with him — including some who had otherwise refused to return to campus.
—Emily Baumgaertner Nunn, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025
Today’s Wordle Etymology The word madly comes from mad (meaning insane, foolish, or intense in emotion) + -ly, a suffix used to form adverbs.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
Her theft results in the throwers of those coins—played by Will Arnett, Danny DeVito, Jon Heder, and Bell’s future husband Dax Shepard—falling madly in love with her.
—Shannon Carlin, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for madly
Cite this Entry
“Madly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/madly. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
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