# madness

/ˈmædnəs/ (US) · /mˈædnəs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/madness
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. foolish behavior

noun · CEFR B2

very stupid or dangerous behavior that makes no sense.

For teachers: extreme foolishness or lack of reason; behavior that is reckless or illogical.

- It would be absolute madness to drive through the mountains during a snowstorm.
- The decision to invest the entire pension fund in such a volatile market was sheer madness, as any financial advisor could have predicted.

### 2. mental illness

noun · CEFR C1 · Archaic · Literary

a state of serious mental illness.

For teachers: a state of severe mental instability or disorder. This usage is often considered dated or insensitive in modern clinical contexts.

- In the old story, the king's madness grew worse as he lost his power.
- The novel explores the thin line between artistic genius and clinical madness, set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century London.

Usage: In modern medicine, specific terms like 'psychosis' or 'disorder' are preferred over this general term.

Teaching tip: This sense is common in classic literature like Shakespeare, but students should avoid using it to describe mental health today.

### 3. extreme anger

noun · CEFR B2 · Literary

a state of being very angry.

For teachers: a state of intense rage or fury.

- In a moment of madness, he shouted at his boss and quit his job.
- The protagonist was driven to a kind of cold madness by the betrayal, seeking revenge at any cost.

## Examples

- It is pure madness to drive in this thick fog.
- The shopping mall was total madness during the holiday sales, with crowds pushing through every aisle.
- Historians often debate whether the king's erratic decrees were the result of clinical madness or a calculated attempt to destabilize his political rivals.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.