crazed

IPA/kreɪzd/
KK[krˈezd]IPA/kreɪzd/

crazed — adjective

  • crazedpositive
  • crazedercomparative
  • crazedestsuperlative

1. so affected by very strong feelings — such as anger, grief, pain, or jealousy —

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

so affected by very strong feelings — such as anger, grief, pain, or jealousy — that you act in an uncontrolled, wild, or irrational way

Example

A crazed fan jumped onto the stage during the concert and began to scream.

attributive use: crazed fan

After three days without water, the travellers looked crazed and confused.

linking verb + crazed: looked crazed

Common collocations
  • crazed fan
  • crazed killer
  • crazed look
  • crazed expression
  • crazed with grief
  • crazed with jealousy
  • crazed with rage
  • crazed by pain
  • crazed by hunger
Synonyms
  • frenzied

    more active and frantic; suggests wild, fast movement rather than just irrational behaviour

  • deranged

    stronger and more clinical; suggests the person's mind is seriously disturbed

  • unhinged

    implies a sudden loss of mental balance, often from shock or stress

Antonyms
  • calm

    opposite emotional state — controlled and peaceful

  • composed

    in full control of one's feelings and actions

Grammar Patterns

crazed + noun

crazed with + noun phrase

crazed by + noun phrase

Usage Note

Often used with a prepositional phrase introduced by 'with' or 'by' to name the cause (crazed with jealousy, crazed by pain). This sense describes a temporary state caused by extreme emotion or pain — it does not imply a permanent mental illness.

Common Mistakes

The crazed man ran down the street' (for someone with a long-term mental condition).
The man, crazed with pain, ran down the street screaming.
'Crazed' describes a temporary state from extreme feelings, not a lasting diagnosis.

2. having a network of many very thin cracks covering the surface — used especially

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

having a network of many very thin cracks covering the surface — used especially of old pottery, glass, or paint that has been damaged by age, heat, or changes in temperature

Example

The old teacup had a crazed glaze with fine lines like a spiderweb.

crazed + glaze (ceramics context)

Daichi bought a crazed ceramic bowl at the antique market for five dollars.

crazed + ceramic / pottery item

Common collocations
  • crazed glaze
  • crazed surface
  • crazed glass
  • crazed pottery
  • crazed ceramic
  • crazed vase
Synonyms
  • cracked

    more general; can mean a single crack or several larger ones, not necessarily the fine network pattern that 'crazed' describes

Antonyms
  • smooth

    having an even, unbroken surface

  • flawless

    completely free of any cracks or marks

Grammar Patterns

crazed + noun (surface, glaze, glass, pottery)

Usage Note

Describes a specific type of fine surface cracking — many tiny lines forming a network, not a single break or crack. Used most often in descriptions of antique ceramics, old window glass, and aged paintwork.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe someone who has lost normal mental control, but they differ in cause and tone. 'Crazed' suggests a temporary state triggered by an overwhelming emotion (grief, jealousy, pain) and often appears with 'with' or 'by' to name the cause. 'Frenzied' emphasises frantic, fast physical activity — a frenzied rush, a frenzied attack — and does not necessarily imply emotional pain behind it. 'Deranged' is stronger and more clinical, suggesting a serious psychological disturbance that may not be temporary. 'Unhinged' sits between the two: it implies a sudden snapping of mental balance, often from shock or stress, but is less clinical than 'deranged'. For everyday description of someone acting wildly because of strong feelings, 'crazed' is the most direct and dramatic choice. A soldier in battle might grow crazed with fear; a crowd in panic might become frenzied; a person suffering a breakdown could be described as deranged; and a normally calm person who suddenly acts irrationally might be called unhinged.

crazed ↗frenzied ↗deranged ↗unhinged ↗

Etymology

Old NorseMiddle EnglishModern English

The adjective 'crazed' comes from the verb 'craze', which entered English from Middle English 'crasen' (to break or shatter). That word probably came from Old Norse 'krasa' (to shatter). The original meaning was physical — to break or crack something (a meaning still visible in sense 2 about cracked surfaces). By the late 1700s, the word had developed a metaphorical sense: if a person's mind was 'shattered' by strong emotion or pain, they were described as 'crazed'. This is why the same word can describe both a cracked vase and a grief-stricken person — both are, in a sense, 'broken'.