maniac

noun

ˈmā-nē-ˌak How to pronounce maniac (audio)
Definition of maniacnext
informal
1
as in lunatic
a person who lacks good sense or judgment It was some surprise to see such chill person become a complete maniac when he got behind the wheel.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lover
a person with a strong and habitual liking for something I'm a maniac for anything flavored with peppermint

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 maniac Mantzoukas was willing to look like a maniac and a moron in equal measure. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 June 2026 The Martin Lawrence vehicle Martin, which ran for five glorious seasons, offered a terrific platform for Lawrence to run around like a maniac as an energetic radio DJ. — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 8 June 2026 Plus, people drove like maniacs in the parking lot, especially on weekends and around holidays. — Literary Hub, 5 June 2026 Donald also had a reputation for being a maniac about taking care of his body and staying in shape. — Armando Salguero, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for maniac
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maniac
  1. lunatic
  2. lover
  3. fool
  4. sucker
  5. goose
  6. fan
  7. enthusiast
  8. fanatic
Noun
  • The show will serve as a platform for countless lunatics within the InfoWars universe and a platform for larger announcements about the company’s fictional exploits.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Rabin was killed [in 1995], that was a last straw —seeing an extremist right-wing lunatic in Israel kill Rabin and kill the dreams of peace.
    — Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of lunatic
Noun
  • Art lovers should aim to be there in April when Joali hosts its annual Imagi-Nature Art Festival.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The undead hero initially turns agains the X-Men and serves Apocalypse, but Gambit’s lover Rogue is able to save him by harnessing the enormous power of a Celestial and offering to sacrifice herself.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of lover
Noun
  • The Trasks encounter a wide swath of citizens, haggling with sneaky cheats, exploiting innocent fools, and befriending big-hearted neighbors.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2026
  • To protest in the street, to be arrested for attacking a police officer or vandalizing private property, or making a fool of yourself in any of a hundred different ways is valuable currency to anyone seeking status within an activist organization.
    — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of fool
Noun
  • These sucker shoots can quickly form a thicket of stems that are unsightly, inherently weak, and prone to storm damage if allowed to mature.
    — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Sep. 2026
  • One was a regional distributor of garbage trucks, street sweepers, and sewer suckers for municipalities.
    — Eric Zwick, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of sucker
Noun
  • Its winding path — and its goose motif — serve as the inspiration for Fortunae, Ginori 1735’s latest collection of collectible porcelain and home decor.
    — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • In terms of the fake-out, yeah, just a tiny little goose for the last moment.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of goose
Noun
  • Self also spoke to the fans and answered a few questions after practice.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2026
  • After most of the sellout crowd filed out Wednesday, one solitary Sox fan stood at his seat under the press box, shouting obscenities about the Guardians and the city of Cleveland.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of fan
Noun
  • In the ‘90s, Golod worked with Pet Television Network as co-chairman and co-owner of a cable and satellite service aimed toward animal enthusiasts.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Snowboarders and skiing enthusiasts from around the world travel there for the pillowy snow on its mountains.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of enthusiast
Noun
  • Wessel said that most guests enjoy perusing, but some, namely the horror fanatics, come in looking for specific limited-run items such as a new Jason Voorhees Monster Energy drink.
    — Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
  • He’s been described in different articles as a bit of a fitness fanatic.
    — Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of fanatic

Browse Nearby Words

mania
maniac
maniacal
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All