Meaning & use
maniacs
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“maniacs” is a form of “maniac”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounpluralinformal
People who behave in a very wild, excited, or uncontrolled way.
Grammar: Plural noun; the singular is 'maniac', used for one such person.
Patterns
- a bunch of maniacs
- drive like maniacs
The fans went completely wild, screaming like maniacs when the band appeared.
He and his friends drove like maniacs down the narrow road.
nounpluralinformal
People who are extremely enthusiastic about an activity and do it intensely.
Grammar: Often used with 'about' or in compounds like 'fitness maniacs'.
Patterns
- maniacs about something
- fitness/gym maniacs
My cousins are surfing maniacs; they're in the water before sunrise.
She's one of those crossword maniacs who finishes three puzzles a day.
nounpluralmedicalold-fashionedoffensive
People suffering from a severe mental illness, especially one with violent or disturbed behavior.
Grammar: Medical or older use; in modern care this wording is dated and can be offensive.
Patterns
- violent maniacs
- a hospital for maniacs
The old text described the patients as maniacs, a term no longer used in medicine.
Historians note that people called maniacs were once kept in separate asylums.
Word forms
| singular | maniac |
|---|
Common combinations
- drive like maniacs
- They drive like maniacs whenever they're late.
- go maniacs
- The crowd went maniacs when the goal was scored.
- fitness maniacs
- The gym is full of fitness maniacs on Monday mornings.
- a pair of maniacs
- Those two are a pair of maniacs on the ski slopes.
Synonyms and how they differ
- fanatics
- Fanatics are intensely devoted to a cause or belief, while maniacs suggests wild, uncontrolled energy.
- lunatics
- Lunatics is an older, now offensive word for mentally ill people; maniacs is similarly dated in that sense.
- enthusiasts
- Enthusiasts is neutral and polite, whereas maniacs is informal and exaggerates the intensity.
Word family
- maniac noun
- One person who behaves wildly or is extremely enthusiastic.
- maniacal adjective
- Wild, crazy, or extremely intense, as in a maniacal laugh.
- maniacally adverb
- In a wild or frantic manner, as in laughing maniacally.
Commonly confused: maniacs or mania?
maniacs vs mania
Mania is a noun for the extreme mood or craze itself, not the person; 'maniacs' refers to the people.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'maniacs' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Manias' is a plural noun, so it fits after 'like' to describe how the fans behaved. Option 1 wrongly uses it as an adjective before 'fans', option 3 uses a plural for one person, and option 4 uses it as a verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “maniacs”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.