Meaning & use
someone mad
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Meanings
phraseinformalAmerican
A person who is very angry (especially in US English).
Grammar: Often used in the pattern 'make someone mad' or 'get mad at someone'.
Patterns
- make someone mad
- get mad at someone
- be mad at someone
Don't make your sister mad; she's already in a bad mood.
He got mad at me for forgetting his birthday.
She was mad at her boss for changing the schedule.
phraseinformalBritishoffensive
A person who is mentally ill or acting in a crazy way (especially in British English).
Grammar: This use can be offensive if applied to someone with a mental illness; it is better to avoid it in serious contexts.
Patterns
- be mad
- go mad
- drive someone mad
The old man was thought to be mad, but he was just eccentric.
She went mad after the accident, according to the neighbors.
In the story, the character pretends to be mad to avoid punishment.
Common combinations
- make someone mad
- His constant lateness made his girlfriend mad.
- get mad at someone
- She got mad at him for not calling.
- be mad about something
- He was mad about the way he was treated.
Synonyms and how they differ
- angry
- Angry is more formal and standard; 'mad' in this sense is informal and more common in American English.
- crazy
- Crazy is similar in the British sense, but can be more offensive; 'mad' is slightly milder.
Opposites
Commonly confused: someone mad or mad about?
someone mad vs mad about
In British English, 'mad about' can mean 'very enthusiastic about', e.g., 'He's mad about football.' This is different from being angry.
Practice
In American English, what does 'She is mad at him' usually mean?
Choose one answer.
In American English, 'mad at someone' means angry with them. Option A would be 'mad about him' meaning enthusiastic. Option C is the British meaning of 'mad' but not with 'at'. Option D is the opposite.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “someone mad”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.