noun
Uncommon
insanity
ihn-SA-nih-tee
Insanity (noun) means Serious mental illness; the state of being of unsound mind. Example: “His lawyer argued a defense of insanity.”
noun
1
Serious mental illness; the state of being of unsound mind.
"His lawyer argued a defense of insanity."
"She wrote a novel about a character slowly sinking into insanity."
"Years of isolation drove the old lighthouse keeper to the edge of insanity."
2
Extreme foolishness or a chaotic, reckless situation.
"Trying to finish the project in one night is pure insanity."
"Cycling across the city at rush hour without lights is sheer insanity."
"The shop was pure insanity on the last Saturday before the holidays."
How to use insanity
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMental illness, or (informally) sheer madness/craziness in a situation.
Common pairings
plea of insanity
sheer insanity
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Word forms
- Plural
- insanities
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His lawyer argued a defense of _____.
Etymology
From Latin insanitas, built the same way as insane — in- ("not") plus sanus ("sound, healthy").
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for insanity
See all rhymes for insanity →Frequently asked questions
What does “insanity” mean?
The word “insanity” means serious mental illness; the state of being of unsound mind. In plain terms, mental illness, or (informally) sheer madness/craziness in a situation.
How do you pronounce “insanity”?
“Insanity” is pronounced ihn-SA-nih-tee (/ɪnˈsænɪti/ in IPA).
How do you use “insanity” in a sentence?
Here is “insanity” used in a sentence: “His lawyer argued a defense of insanity.”
What is the opposite of “insanity”?
The opposite of “insanity” — its antonyms — are mental health, saneness and sanity.
What part of speech is “insanity”?
“Insanity” is a noun.
Where does the word “insanity” come from?
The word “insanity” comes from Latin. From Latin insanitas, built the same way as insane — in- ("not") plus sanus ("sound, healthy").
Is “insanity” a common word?
“Insanity” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “insanity” have?
“Insanity” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: serious mental illness; the state of being of unsound mind.
What is the difference between insanity and stupidity?
Insanity, in its extended sense, describes extreme foolishness or a chaotic, reckless situation, while stupidity refers to a lack of intelligence or poor judgment without necessarily implying chaos. In its primary sense, insanity refers to serious mental illness, a meaning stupidity never carries.
Is insanity a clinical or medical term?
Insanity was historically used to describe serious mental illness, but it is now mainly a legal term (as in an "insanity defense") rather than a clinical diagnosis, since modern medicine uses more specific terms for mental health conditions.
How is insanity used informally?
Informally, insanity is often used to describe extreme foolishness or a wildly chaotic situation, as in "the traffic today was pure insanity," without any reference to actual mental illness.
