insanity
/ɪnˈsænəti/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˈsænəti/ (ame, ipa) · /in-ˈsa-nə-tē/ (ame, mw)
insanity — noun
1. a decision, action, or situation that is so foolish or risky that it appears to
a decision, action, or situation that is so foolish or risky that it appears to have no logic or sense behind it.
Riding a bicycle without brakes down a steep mountain road is sheer insanity.
sheer insanity — intensifier for emphasis
Joon thought his roommate's plan to drop out of college was pure insanity.
consider + plan + to be + insanity
The company's decision to ignore all safety warnings struck many workers as complete insanity.
It would be insanity to let children play near an uncovered well in the garden.
文法句型
insanity of + noun/gerund
sheer/pure/absolute + insanity
it is insanity to + infinitive
常見錯誤
2. a state of extreme irritation, frustration, or emotional upset that makes it har
a state of extreme irritation, frustration, or emotional upset that makes it hard to think clearly or act calmly.
The constant dripping from the faulty tap drove Lotte almost to insanity.
drive [somebody] to insanity — cause extreme irritation
Adina felt insanity creeping in as she hunted for her keys for the fourth time that morning.
Stuck in traffic with a crying toddler, Sirin was close to insanity.
The sheer insanity of trying to get five children to school on time overwhelmed Nia.
- madness
more common and slightly less intense than 'insanity'
- fury
focuses more on anger than general frustration
- desperation
implies a feeling of hopelessness rather than irritation
文法句型
drive [somebody] to insanity
close to insanity
the insanity of + gerund
用法筆記
Common in informal exaggeration: 'This is driving me to insanity' usually expresses frustration rather than a literal mental state. Often paired with 'sheer,' 'absolute,' or 'near.'
常見錯誤
3. a term used in the past for severe mental illness, still found in some legal sys
a term used in the past for severe mental illness, still found in some legal systems but generally considered outdated and potentially offensive in everyday speech.
In the nineteenth century, doctors used the word 'insanity' to describe many different mental conditions.
historical medical usage
The jury decided the man was not guilty by reason of insanity.
legal phrase: not guilty by reason of insanity
Calling a friend's depression 'insanity' can sound old-fashioned and hurtful.
Cyrus read about the history of the word 'insanity' and how it was once a medical label.
- madness
also outdated but still more common in casual speech than 'insanity'
- mental illness
modern, neutral, and preferred in most contexts
- psychosis
a specific medical term for severe mental disorders involving loss of contact with reality
- sanity
the state of being mentally healthy
- mental health
the preferred modern term for the absence of mental illness
文法句型
not guilty by reason of insanity
plea of insanity
diagnosed with insanity (historical)
用法筆記
Avoid using this sense in everyday conversation about mental health. Modern alternatives include 'mental illness,' 'mental health condition,' or specific terms such as 'psychosis' or 'schizophrenia.' The word survives in legal terminology — e.g. the 'insanity defence' — where it has a precise procedural meaning. Using it informally to describe someone's condition can be perceived as dismissive or stigmatising.