zaniness

noun

Definition of zaninessnext
as in insanity
lack of good sense or judgment what zaniness possessed you to take a mental health day when you knew that the head honcho would be visiting?

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 zaniness While a bright teen with auditory hallucinations makes for a fun, provocative lead character, screenwriter-director Kelly never goes much beyond the surface zaniness of Donnie. — Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 26 Oct. 2026 Adding to the mind-blowing zaniness of the piece? — Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 12 June 2026 But the draft traditionally ratchets up quarterback zaniness. — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026 Some critics found the zaniness of Bale’s ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’ number (an homage to Mel Brooks comedy Young Frankenstein) hysterically brilliant, while others didn’t get the joke. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 8 Mar. 2026 Plenty of moments on The Fall-Off remind of the hunger of his early mixtapes, the purposeful thrills of his 2010s hits, or even the misguided zaniness of KOD, though none materialize in meaningful doses. — Benny Sun, Pitchfork, 10 Feb. 2026 The frothy zaniness was, of course, one of Barry’s Hollywood calling cards, but there always were serious themes submerged underneath. — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026 The ensemble comedy garnered critical praise for its steady stream of zaniness and quickly gained a reputation for deftly skewering suburban life while still maintaining a general sweetness of tone. — Will Harris, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2026 Animated by an irreverent zaniness, Egger’s poetry fuses elements drawn from contemporary idiom and from lyric tradition to render a surreal world that interrogates existential questions about desire and grief. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for zaniness
  1. insanity
  2. madness
  3. simplicity
  4. craziness
  5. absurdity
  6. wackiness
Noun
  • Bennett asked the jury to find Hinton not guilty by reason of insanity.
    — Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026
  • That sentence would have sounded like insanity a few decades ago, but in the strange world of Hollywood in the 2020s, weirder might really be better.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of insanity
Noun
  • The couple’s relationship appears to be an archetypal folie a deux, or madness of two.
    — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Read on to see how Humm made it through the madness to open Humm, the first restaurant to bear his name.
    — Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of madness
Noun
  • Satin finish, soft glow Much like the origins of the mochi skin concept, the mochi skin aesthetic is rooted in the Japanese approach to beauty, where simplicity and radiance take center stage.
    — Jeanne Ballion, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026
  • That process has been in place for over three decades, and Brazilians have become accustomed to its speed, simplicity, accuracy and routine.
    — Solly Boussidan, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of simplicity
Noun
  • Week 7 of the 2026 college football season will go down as one of the most chaotic ever, with five Top 10 teams suffering losses, and the newest AP Top 25 Poll reflects the craziness that unfolded.
    — Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Use these Prime Day leftovers as a chance to restock cleaning essentials before the holiday hosting craziness begins.
    — Francesca Krempa, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of craziness
Noun
  • For all the absurdity, though, the award carries considerable weight — even if the timing is bittersweet.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 22 Oct. 2026
  • That obsession reached its peak of exuberant absurdity on a Friday in late July of 1995.
    — Adam Sztykiel, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of absurdity
Noun
  • Upsets, near-upsets and general wackiness; pageantry, pride and good old-fashioned heartbreak.
    — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Both have the kind of surrealist wackiness MSCHF is famous for.
    — Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of wackiness

Browse Nearby Words

zanies
zaniness
zany
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Cite this Entry

“Zaniness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/zaniness. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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