manic

adjective

man·​ic ˈma-nik 

: affected with, relating to, characterized by, or resulting from mania

had a manic personality

his manic work pace

manic noun

manically

ˈma-ni-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of manic in a Sentence

a manic sense of humor

Recent Examples on the Web

But hope has been quick to reverse to doubt on Wall Street, triggering manic swings back and forth for financial markets since the war with Iran began. —Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026

Meanwhile, Pattinson is like a manic roller coaster on screen, increasingly off the rails as the weight of Emma’s reveal has Charlie questioning everything and reacting badly to the situation. —Brian Truitt, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026

Ivey clearly felt comfortable voicing increasingly fringe beliefs, but that doesn’t automatically translate into the manic crash-out of the last week, which notably occurred directly after he was shut down with an injury for a second consecutive season. —Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026

Blanco revealed that Gomez sometimes experiences a manic episode without recognizing it. —Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 30 Mar. 2026

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

Phrases Containing manic

• manic depression
• manic-depressive
• manic-depressive illness
• manic episode

Rhymes for manic

• bannock
• laennec
• panic
• stannic
• tannic
• aldermanic
• inorganic
• magellanic
• messianic
• oceanic
• pozzolanic
• talismanic

Medical Definition

manic

1 of 2 adjective

man·​ic ˈman-ik 

: affected with, relating to, or resembling mania

manically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

manic

2 of 2 noun

: an individual affected with mania