insane
gb/ɪnsˈeɪn/ us/ɪnsˈeɪn/
B1
English
~ 1900
abszurd, esztelen, őrült, súlyos mentális zavarban szenvedő, beszámíthatatlan, elmebeteg, elképesztő, ütős, dögös, eszméletlen, király, őrületes
B1
INFORMAL
1
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is insane
That was an insane amount of money to spend on shoes.
Cipőre ez őrült sok pénz volt.
Driving that fast in the rain is insane.
Esőben ilyen gyorsan vezetni őrültség.
The plot twist in the movie was absolutely insane.
Learner examples
It is insane to walk on the road at night without lights.
Őrültség éjszaka lámpa nélkül az úttesten gyalogolni.
That game was insane and very exciting.
Az a meccs teljesen őrült volt, és nagyon izgalmas.
He paid an insane price for the watch.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this meaning with the medical sense of 'mentally ill', which is less common in everyday speech.
Meaning
Extremely foolish or unreasonable
Collocations
insane idea
|insane plan
|insane amount
|insane price
|insane speed
Synonyms
crazy (Common informal synonym; slightly more casual and versatile.)
|
ridiculous (Focuses on being absurd rather than irrational.)
Antonyms
sensible (Emphasizes sound judgment and reason, the opposite of foolishness.)
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Very silly or unreasonable; not making sense.
Extremely foolish, unreasonable, or outrageous in a way that seems irrational.
B2
2
Usage pattern:
[someone] is insane
The court found him legally insane at the time of the crime.
A bíróság megállapította, hogy a bűncselekmény elkövetésekor beszámíthatatlan volt.
She was diagnosed as insane after a long evaluation.
Hosszú kivizsgálás után súlyos mentális betegséget állapítottak meg nála.
They claimed he was insane and needed treatment.
Learner examples
The man was declared insane by the doctor.
Az orvos megállapította, hogy a férfi súlyos mentális beteg.
She is insane and cannot take care of herself.
Súlyos mentális beteg, és nem tud gondoskodni magáról.
The judge said he was legally insane.
Common mistake:
Learners often overuse this meaning in casual contexts where 'crazy' or 'ridiculous' would be more appropriate.
Meaning
Having a severe mental illness
Collocations
legally insane
|declared insane
|mentally insane
Synonyms
psychotic (Medical term referring to severe mental disorders involving loss of contact with reality.)
Antonyms
sane (Means having normal mental health and sound judgment.)
Themes
health
|law
|emotions
Definition
Having a serious mental illness that changes how someone thinks or acts.
Suffering from a severe mental disorder that significantly impairs judgment, perception of reality, or behavior.
B2
INFORMAL
3
Usage pattern:
[something] is insane
The guitarist gave an insane performance last night.
A gitáros őrületes produkciót nyújtott tegnap este.
That roller coaster has some insane drops.
Annak a hullámvasútnak egészen őrületes zuhanásai vannak.
Her cooking skills are absolutely insane.
Learner examples
The show last night was insane.
A tegnap esti show őrületes volt.
He has insane skills in basketball.
Elképesztő képességei vannak kosárlabdában.
The party was insane and fun.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with the negative senses of 'insane', but here it is positive slang for 'amazing'.
Meaning
Extremely impressive or exciting
Collocations
insane performance
|insane talent
|insane skill
Synonyms
amazing (Highlights admiration without the informal exaggeration.)
|
incredible (Focuses on being hard to believe due to excellence.)
Antonyms
boring (Describes something dull and unexciting, opposite in emotional impact.)
Themes
emotions
|entertainment
|core_vocabulary
|communication
|arts_entertainment
Definition
Very exciting or amazing; hard to believe because it is so good or extreme.
Extremely impressive, exciting, or intense in a way that amazes people.
Grammar
Dictionary form
insane
IPA
GB/ɪnsˈeɪn/
US/ɪnsˈeɪn/
Syllables & stress
in - sane (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (sane)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: insane
Word family
Core family
insanely
adverb
insanity
noun
Negative and opposite forms
Expressions
drive someone insane
1/dɹˈaɪv sˈʌmwˌʌn ɪnsˈeɪn/
idiom
informal
Make someone extremely annoyed or stressed
To make someone feel very annoyed, upset, or mentally tired.
Examples
- The constant noise is driving me insane.
- Her endless questions were driving him insane.
go insane
1/ɡˈoʊ ɪnsˈeɪn/
fixed phrase
Become mentally ill or irrational
To become mentally ill or start acting in a very strange way.
Examples
- He nearly went insane after months of isolation.
- She thought she would go insane if the noise didn’t stop.
insane asylum
1/ɪnsˈeɪn əsˈaɪləm/
fixed phrase
archaic
Old term for psychiatric hospital
An old term for a hospital where people with serious mental illness lived and got treatment.
Examples
- In the past, many were sent to an insane asylum for life.
- The horror film is set in an abandoned insane asylum.
- The novel is set in an old insane asylum.
- In the early 1900s, many people were sent to insane asylums for minor conditions.