zany
gb/zˈeɪni/ us/zˈeɪni/
B2
English
bolondos, dilis, agyament, hóbortos, bohóc
B2
INFORMAL
1
Usage pattern:
[zany] [person/idea/story/show/behavior]
The movie is a zany mix of slapstick jokes and bizarre plot twists.
A film a hasraesős poénok és a bizarr cselekményfordulatok bolondos keveréke.
She wore a zany hat that made everyone laugh.
Egy bolondos kalapot viselt, amin mindenki nevetett.
Their zany advertising campaign got a lot of attention online.
Learner examples
It’s a zany comedy.
Ez egy bolondos vígjáték.
He has a zany sense of humor.
Bolondos humorérzéke van.
Common mistake:
Often confused with 'crazy' meaning dangerous or mental illness; 'zany' usually suggests humor and harmless silliness.
Meaning
amusingly strange and energetic
Collocations
zany humor
|zany comedy
|zany antics
|zany characters
|zany storyline
|zany costume
|zany sketch
|zany performance
|a zany sense of humor
|zany ideas
Synonyms
wacky (Very close; emphasizes silly oddness.)
|
quirky (Often milder and more charming than 'zany'.)
|
madcap (Suggests fast, reckless, comic energy.)
Antonyms
serious (Not playful or comedic.)
|
sensible (Practical and reasonable, not silly.)
Themes
humor
|entertainment
|personality
Definition
Funny and a little crazy in an energetic way.
Amusingly unusual, silly, and full of energetic or unpredictable behavior, especially in a way meant to entertain.
C1
INFORMAL
2
Usage pattern:
[zany] [plan/idea/theory]
His zany theory about time travel didn’t convince anyone in the room.
Az időutazásról szóló agyament elmélete nem győzött meg senkit a teremben.
They rejected the proposal as too zany to take seriously.
Azért utasították el a javaslatot, mert túl agyament volt ahhoz, hogy komolyan vegyék.
It sounded zany at first, but parts of it actually made sense.
Learner examples
That idea is too zany.
Az az ötlet túl agyament.
It was a zany plan.
Agyament terv volt.
Common mistake:
This sense can sound judgmental; it is less common than the humorous sense and often implies the idea is unrealistic.
Meaning
very strange or irrational
Collocations
a zany plan
|a zany scheme
|a zany theory
|a zany proposal
|a zany suggestion
|a zany rumor
Synonyms
outlandish (Highlights how unbelievable or unrealistic something seems.)
|
bizarre (Stronger; focuses on strangeness more than humor.)
Antonyms
reasonable (Based on good judgment and logic.)
|
realistic (Likely to work or be true in real life.)
Themes
personality
|opinions
Definition
Very strange and not reasonable.
Extremely eccentric or irrational, sometimes to the point of seeming absurd.
NOUN
C1
INFORMAL
3
bohóc
A2
Usage pattern:
a zany; the zany of the group
In the sketch, he plays the zany who keeps interrupting with absurd comments.
A jelenetben ő játssza a bohócot, aki folyton abszurd megjegyzésekkel vág közbe.
Every friend group seems to have a zany who turns simple plans into chaos.
Szinte minden baráti társaságban van egy bohóc, aki a legegyszerűbb tervekből is káoszt csinál.
The director cast her as the zany sidekick for the new sitcom.
Learner examples
He is the zany in the show.
Ő a műsor bohóca.
Common mistake:
Less common than the adjective; learners often try to use it for any 'crazy person' rather than a comedic type.
Meaning
a silly entertainer or clown
Collocations
a comic zany
|a lovable zany
|the group's zany
|play the zany
|a zany on stage
Synonyms
clown (More general; can be affectionate or insulting depending on context.)
|
comedian (Neutral profession term; less specific about silly physical humor.)
Antonyms
straight man (The serious counterpart in a comedy act.)
Themes
humor
|entertainment
|people
Definition
A person who acts silly to make people laugh.
A person whose role is to entertain by acting in a silly, clownish, or comically eccentric way.
Grammar
Dictionary form
zany
IPA
GB/zˈeɪni/
US/zˈeɪni/
Syllables & stress
zany (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (zany)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: zany
- Comparative: zanier
- Superlative: zaniest
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.