adj
maniacal
muh-NEYE-uhkl
Maniacal (adj) means Wildly frenzied or behaving like a madman. Example: “The villain let out a maniacal laugh before slamming the door.”
adj
1
Wildly frenzied or behaving like a madman.
"He suddenly exploded into about three seconds of maniacal laughter and stopped again."
— Douglas Adams, Life (1982)
"The villain let out a maniacal laugh before slamming the door."
How to use maniacal
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBehaving in a wild, frenzied, crazy way.
Common pairings
maniacal laugh
maniacal grin
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more maniacal
- Superlative
- most maniacal
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The villain let out a _____ laugh before slamming the door.
Etymology
Built from maniac plus the adjective suffix -al, ultimately from Greek maniakos.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for maniacal
See all rhymes for maniacal →Frequently asked questions
What does “maniacal” mean?
The word “maniacal” means wildly frenzied or behaving like a madman. In plain terms, behaving in a wild, frenzied, crazy way.
How do you pronounce “maniacal”?
“Maniacal” is pronounced muh-NEYE-uhkl (/məˈnaɪək(ə)l/ in IPA).
How do you use “maniacal” in a sentence?
Here is “maniacal” used in a sentence: “The villain let out a maniacal laugh before slamming the door.”
What part of speech is “maniacal”?
“Maniacal” is an adjective.
Where does the word “maniacal” come from?
The word “maniacal” comes from Greek. Built from maniac plus the adjective suffix -al, ultimately from Greek maniakos.
