madness

noun

mad·​ness ˈmad-nəs 

1

: the quality or state of being mad: such as

a

: a state of severe mental illness

—not used technically

… fortifications against an inner darkness, the threat of madness that crouched above him throughout his life.

—Robert F. Moss

b

: behavior or thinking that is very foolish or dangerous : extreme folly

an idea that is pure/sheer madness

c

: ecstasy, enthusiasm

d

: intense anger : rage

2

: any of several ailments of animals marked by frenzied behavior

specifically : rabies

Synonyms

• aberration
• dementia
• derangement
• insanity
• lunacy
• mania
• rage [archaic]

Examples of madness in a Sentence

He suffered a series of tragedies that nearly drove him to madness.

Her friends told her the idea was pure madness, but she went through with it anyway.

It was the height of madness for him to drive at such high speeds!

Recent Examples on the Web

To halt the madness and ensure a reasonable public discourse, Christians need to be honest with themselves: the election of Donald Trump is the will of the people, not necessarily the will of God. —B.g. White, Hartford Courant, 18 Feb. 2025

This absolutely glorious five-second clip from TNT perfectly encapsulates the madness and requires several viewings to fully appreciate its beauty. —Tim Spiers, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025

Each plays madness utterly convincingly, with as many notes on the emotional scale as their A-list brethren. —Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2025

According to the comments, the method behind the madness has worked for others, too. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing madness

• (a) method in/to one's madness

Medical Definition

madness

noun

mad·​ness ˈmad-nəs 

1

: a severely disordered state of mind

—not used technically

2

: any of several ailments of animals marked by frenzied behavior

specifically : rabies