maniacal

adjective

ma·​ni·​a·​cal mə-ˈnī-ə-kəl How to pronounce maniacal (audio)
variants or less commonly maniac
ˈmā-nē-ˌak How to pronounce maniacal (audio)
Synonyms of maniacal
1
: affected with or suggestive of madness
maniacal laughter
maniacal energy
a maniacal killer
2
: characterized by ungovernable excitement or frenzy : frantic
a maniacal mob
maniacal fans
maniacally
mə-ˈnī-ə-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce maniacal (audio)
adverb

Synonyms of maniacal

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Examples of maniacal in a Sentence

the movie's villain was a just a clichéd axe-wielding nutcase with a maniacal laugh
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.
Gilmore said before unleashing a maniacal laugh. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 11 June 2026 The two auteurs share a flair for spinning societal critique into maniacal physical comedy. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2026 Bardem is captivating and formidable, grinning with maniacal glee at his every act of depravity and the fear and anguish of his victims. — Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 4 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

Word History

Etymology

Middle French maniaque "mad, frenzied" & its source, Late Latin maniacus + -al entry 1 — more at maniac entry 1

First Known Use

1526, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of maniacal was in 1526

Browse Nearby Words

maniac
maniacal
manic
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

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Kids Definition

maniacal

adjective
ma·​ni·​a·​cal mə-ˈnī-ə-kəl How to pronounce maniacal (audio)
variants also maniac
ˈmā-nē-ˌak How to pronounce maniacal (audio)
: affected with or suggestive of madness
maniacally
mə-ˈnī-ə-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce maniacal (audio)
adverb

Medical Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on maniacal

Nglish: Translation of maniacal for Spanish Speakers

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