madhouse

noun

mad·​house ˈmad-ˌhau̇s How to pronounce madhouse (audio)
Synonyms of madhousenext
1
informal + often offensive : an institution providing care to mentally ill individuals
2
informal : a place of uproar or confusion
The day of the game against the U.S.S.R., Blythe Arena was a madhouse. Thousands milled about outside, hoping to find a way in.—Walter Bingham

Synonyms of madhouse

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Examples of madhouse in a Sentence

The stadium was a madhouse when the team won the championship. it was hard to believe that this place with the bright cheery walls was really a madhouse
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Headphones are often my saving grace in this madhouse. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 17 Apr. 2026 In practice, this means a madhouse of multimedia rooms, packed with gurgling videos and useless machines and humanoid bodies. — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2026 The madhouse of awards season and all its many, many controversies — not to mention an ongoing parade of natural and man-made disasters — has until now perhaps overshadowed some of the year’s lower-stakes joys. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2025 Given her reputation and TikTok-famous opener Ella Langley, the badge line was a madhouse. — Deborah Sengupta Stith, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for madhouse

Word History

First Known Use

1649, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of madhouse was in 1649

Rhymes for madhouse

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Browse Nearby Words

mad-headed
madhouse
madhuca
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Cite this Entry

“Madhouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/madhouse. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

madhouse

noun
mad·​house ˈmad-ˌhau̇s How to pronounce madhouse (audio)
1
informal, often offensive : an institution providing care to mentally ill people
2
: a place of uproar or confusion

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Nglish: Translation of madhouse for Spanish Speakers

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