insane
/ɪnˈseɪn/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˈseɪn/ (ame, ipa) · /(ˌ)in-ˈsān/ (ame, mw)
insane — adjective
- insanepositive
- more insanecomparative
- most insanesuperlative
1. feeling an extremely strong level of annoyance or anger that stops you from thin
feeling an extremely strong level of annoyance or anger that stops you from thinking clearly or handling a situation in a reasonable way
The constant noise from the construction site is driving Ife absolutely insane.
drive + object + insane — common pattern for extreme annoyance
Marta almost went insane waiting for the repairman, who arrived three hours late.
go insane — informal idiom for losing patience
The slow internet connection in the office was making everyone feel insane with frustration.
Vivek said the baby's crying was driving him insane and he needed a break.
文法句型
drive + object + insane
go insane
make + object + insane
用法筆記
This sense is informal and exaggerates a feeling. Do not use it in formal writing or when speaking about actual mental illness.
常見錯誤
2. so unreasonable or foolish that it seems likely to cause harm or goes against al
so unreasonable or foolish that it seems likely to cause harm or goes against all common sense
Beatrix thought it was insane to drive through the flooded streets during the storm.
it + be + insane + to-infinitive
Charging five hundred dollars for a concert ticket is an insane price.
an insane + noun — intensifying noun phrase
Joaquín laughed and said the night-time river swim was an insane idea.
Climbing the mountain in winter without a guide seemed completely insane to the rangers.
- ridiculous
less intense and more widely acceptable in casual speech; does not carry the same risk of being misunderstood as referencing mental health
- absurd
more formal and intellectual; suggests something is logically impossible or contradictory
- outrageous
focuses on the shocking or unacceptable nature of the action
- sensible
showing good judgment and reason
- reasonable
fair and based on good sense
文法句型
it + be + insane + to-infinitive
an insane + noun
be insane to + verb
用法筆記
Like sense 1, this is informal exaggeration. It expresses a strong negative judgment about a decision, idea, or situation. It does not refer to mental health.
常見錯誤
3. a dated term describing someone who has a severe mental health condition and can
a dated term describing someone who has a severe mental health condition and cannot function in everyday life — in modern conversation the word is considered offensive except when used in legal contexts or in historical references
In the 1950s, the hospital was known for treating patients described as insane.
historical context — 'described as insane' is a dated label
The court accepted the insanity defence after reviewing the psychiatric reports.
legal context — 'insanity defence' is a standard legal term
Victorian doctors labelled many women insane for behaviour that would seem normal today.
The word 'insane' to describe mental illness is now considered offensive by healthcare professionals.
- mentally ill
neutral, preferred term in modern usage; does not carry the same stigma
- psychotic
specific clinical term for a particular set of severe symptoms, not a general label
- sane
used mainly in legal and clinical contexts; means of sound mind
文法句型
be declared insane
be found insane
be considered insane
用法筆記
Do NOT use this sense to describe a person with mental illness in everyday speech — it is widely considered offensive and dehumanising. Use neutral alternatives such as 'person with a mental health condition,' 'person living with mental illness,' or 'person with a psychiatric disability.' The word survives in two specific settings: (1) legal terminology such as 'the insanity defence' or 'not guilty by reason of insanity'; (2) historical descriptions of how people with mental illness were treated in earlier centuries.
常見錯誤
4. extremely good, impressive, or exciting in a way that is surprising and hard to
extremely good, impressive, or exciting in a way that is surprising and hard to believe
Élise gave an insane drum solo that brought the whole crowd to its feet.
an insane + noun — expressing admiration through exaggeration
Jin landed an insane skateboard jump over three parked cars at the competition.
The special effects in that science-fiction film were absolutely insane.
Ziad said the party last night was insane and that everyone should have come.
- incredible
very similar in meaning but more widely acceptable across registers
- unbelievable
emphasises the surprising quality
- awesome
slightly older slang; very common in North American English
文法句型
an insane + noun
be insane (as exclamation)
用法筆記
This slang sense is the opposite of the negative senses 1 and 2 — it expresses strong admiration rather than criticism. It is common among younger speakers and in informal reviews, social media, and conversation. Avoid in formal or professional writing.
常見錯誤
insane — noun
1. a derogatory label used to refer collectively to people who have serious mental
a derogatory label used to refer collectively to people who have serious mental health conditions, now widely recognised as offensive and dehumanising
The newspaper was criticised for referring to patients as 'the insane' in its article.
the + adjective → offensive collective label
Using 'the insane' to describe anyone with a mental health condition is deeply insulting.
Advocacy groups campaign against the use of labels such as 'the insane' in media.
The old hospital records referred to the patients as 'the insane' in every entry.
- people with mental illness
preferred, neutral, person-first phrasing
- psychiatric patients
clinical term, acceptable only in medical contexts
文法句型
the insane (as group noun)
用法筆記
This noun form is always offensive. Unlike the adjective sense 3, which has a recognised legal use, the noun form 'the insane' has no neutral context — it reduces people to a single stigmatised characteristic. Never use it to describe real people. Preferred alternatives: 'people with mental illness,' 'people living with mental health conditions,' or 'psychiatric patients' (in clinical contexts only).