haywire 1 of 2

adjective

ˈhā-ˌwī(-ə)r How to pronounce haywire (audio)
Definition of haywirenext
1
as in down
not being in working order The website went haywire when it was overloaded with visitors seeking tickets.

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mad
unable to think in a clear or sensible way She gradually went haywire with grief after the tragic death of her husband.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

haywire

2 of 2

adverb

as in uncontrollably

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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 haywire
Adverb
Robot meltdown — The LLMs also sometimes went haywire in unexpected ways. — Billy Perrigo, Time, 28 Oct. 2025 The Baltimore Orioles' season went haywire fast after a disappointing offseason that saw ace Corbin Burnes walk, and with no real replacement added to their pitching staff. — Hunter Mulholland, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for haywire
  1. down
  2. mad
  3. uncontrollably
  4. malfunctioning
  5. psychotic
  6. crazily
  7. broken
  8. insane
Adjective
  • College enrollments are down and tuition revenue has dropped, plunging many universities into the red, despite increasing their prices.
    — Reynald Fasciaux, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Skydance shares closed down about 7% in day two of trading Wednesday after a dip the day before, a second down session in a rocky NYSE debut for the merged company as investors started to weigh in.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of down
Adjective
  • When Blue Cross Blue Shield recently published research suggesting that hospitals use artificial intelligence tools to extract more money from insurers without providing additional care, people were mad.
    — Leah Pierson, STAT, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Carmella is also still mad at Vicki for saying that Danny is raising her kids, and Heather is angry after learning that Vicki called her fake in Palm Springs.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of mad
Adverb
  • Alpha 1, who’s most strict about the disease’s suppression, lashes out uncontrollably.
    — Cortlyn Kelly, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Meanwhile, wildfires have been blazing uncontrollably, most notably this week in the New Forest in southern England.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of uncontrollably
Adjective
  • Homeowners reported a swift meeting at which officers discussed a reorganization of their specific duties and the hiring of an elevator expert to fix the chronically malfunctioning, overloaded elevators.
    — Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Watching the first episode of Ultimate Girl’s Trip is like riding in a malfunctioning time machine.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of malfunctioning
Adjective
  • At trial, a neurological expert testified that Linton had a seizure in the lead up to the collision, and a psychiatrist said Linton displayed psychotic symptoms weeks after the crash that were consistent with the aftermath of a seizure.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Kratom can produce either stimulating or sedating effects, depending on the dosage taken, and can produce psychotic symptoms, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
    — Phil Helsel, NBC news, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of psychotic
Adverb
  • So, in recognition of the country's semiquincentennial, here's a proudly Memphicentric and crazily ambitious if inevitably incomplete list of 250 — count 'em, *250* — Memphis artists and entertainers.
    — John Beifuss, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 2 Aug. 2026
  • And when Andreeva hits one of her crazily creative shots and turns to Martínez for praise, she is met with a smile, and maybe some clapping.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 4 June 2026
Definition of crazily
Adjective
  • But, a look beneath the surface shows that three-quarters of the index was actually lower — a possible reflection of a broken market.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Plates of broken, eggy matzo that taste like soggy cardboard.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of broken
Adjective
  • Derek wants to hear Julia audibly breathing next week, which is both a hilarious and insane request.
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Those questions triggered some insane accusations from Aces fans regarding the Fever fan and their fanbase.
    — Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of insane

Browse Nearby Words

hayseed
haywire
hazard
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Cite this Entry

“Haywire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/haywire. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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