MANIACAL Synonyms: 95 Similar and Opposite Words

maniacal

adjective

mə-ˈnī-ə-kəl

variants also maniac

Definition of maniacal

as in psychotic

unable to think in a clear or sensible way The show's maniacal villain has no method to his madness.

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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 maniacal The odd thing about this choice is that, although the DSA’s platform is indeed chock-full of maniacal proposals, on this particular idea, the maniacs have a point. — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026 Erling Haaland, Norway’s large, maniacal striker, has several exceedingly Norwegian traits. — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 30 June 2026 The president as a maniacal urban planner is a white-knuckle ride, with Washington — and Washingtonians — just holding on for dear life. — Maureen Dowd, Mercury News, 23 June 2026 One of Anthropic’s great strengths compared to its archrival OpenAI is its maniacal focus. — Rob Toews, Forbes.com, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for maniacal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for maniacal

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

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

Adjective

Rituals is already active in the youth mental health space as cofounder of Super Chill, a program that uses playful mind and body exercises to help children recognize their emotions and develop mental resilience.

— Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026
If Thompson was found to be incompetent due to a mental condition, he likely won’t ever be executed.

— Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of mental

Browse Nearby Words

maniac

maniacal

maniacs

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“Maniacal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maniacal. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of maniacal

adjective

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