Crazy vs. Mad: What's the Difference?
Edited by Harlon Moss || By Janet White || Updated on October 7, 2023
Crazy often refers to wild or eccentric behavior, while Mad can mean angry or mentally ill.
Key Differences
Crazy often connotes eccentricity or unpredictability in behavior or ideas. It might suggest someone acting outside the norm or engaging in wild antics. Mad, in one context, denotes a person's anger or irritation. Telling someone "You made me mad" isn't about insanity, but about anger.
In the realm of mental health, Crazy is an informal and sometimes derogatory term for someone exhibiting signs of mental illness. Mad, historically, has been used in a similar manner, as in "madhouse" for a mental institution. Both terms, however, can be seen as insensitive when used in this context.
Crazy has seen adaptive uses in colloquial speech, sometimes being employed positively, as in "crazy good" or "crazy about someone." Mad, on the other hand, can be used colloquially in places like the UK as a synonym for "crazy" as in "He's gone mad."
In terms of intensity, Crazy might be seen as a milder, more versatile word. Mad, especially in its angry connotation, carries a stronger emotional weight.
Crazy and Mad both have their origins in Old English, but their modern usages have evolved and diverged. While Crazy often suggests eccentricity or extreme enthusiasm, Mad can imply rage or mental instability.
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Comparison Chart
Primary Meaning
Eccentric or unpredictable behavior.
Anger or irritation.
Usage in Mental Health
Informal term for mental instability.
Historical term, e.g., "madhouse."
Colloquial Positive Use
"Crazy good" or "crazy about someone."
Rare in this context.
Intensity
Milder, versatile term.
Strong emotional weight.
Origin
Old English "craes."
Old English "gemaedde."
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Crazy and Mad Definitions
Crazy
Extremely.
It's crazy hot outside today.
Mad
Angry; resentful
Was mad about the broken vase.
Crazy
Mentally deranged.
Mad
Mentally ill; insane.
The old tale speaks of a mad king.
Crazy
(Informal) Odd or eccentric in behavior.
Mad
Carried away by enthusiasm or desire.
She's mad about the new actor in town.
Crazy
Eccentric or out-of-the-norm behavior.
He had a crazy idea about flying cars.
Mad
Mentally deranged
"afflicted with hypochondria, depression, and fear of going mad" (Carla Cantor).
Crazy
Very enthusiastic.
I'm crazy about that new song.
Mad
Characteristic of mental derangement
Mad laughter.
Crazy
Possessed by enthusiasm or excitement
The crowd at the game went crazy.
Mad
Temporarily or apparently deranged by violent sensations, emotions, or ideas
Was mad with jealousy.
Crazy
Immoderately fond; infatuated
Was crazy about boys.
Mad
Lacking restraint or reason; foolish
I was mad to have hired her in the first place.
Crazy
Intensely involved or preoccupied
Is crazy about cars and racing.
Mad
Feeling or showing strong liking or enthusiasm
Mad about sports.
Crazy
Foolish or impractical; senseless
A crazy scheme for making quick money.
Mad
Marked by a lack of restraint, especially by extreme excitement, confusion, or agitation
A mad scramble for the bus.
Crazy
Intensely annoyed or irritated
It makes me crazy when you don't tell me you're going to be late.
Mad
Exhibiting uncharacteristic aggressiveness, especially as a result of rabies, spongiform encephalopathy, or another neurological disease. Used of animals
A mad dog.
A mad cow.
Crazy
Disorderly or askew
One of the old window shutters hung at a crazy angle.
Mad
Excellent; wonderful
It's really mad that they can come.
Crazy
(Informal) Extremely; very
That restaurant's always crazy busy on weekends, but it's worth the wait.
Mad
Abundant; great
Mad respect.
Crazy
One who is or appears to be mentally deranged
"To them she is not a brusque crazy, but 'appropriately passionate'" (Mary McGrory).
Mad
To make or become mad; madden.
Crazy
Of unsound mind; insane; demented.
His ideas were both frightening and crazy.
Mad
Extremely; very
This place is mad cool.
Crazy
Out of control.
When she gets on the motorcycle she goes crazy.
Mad
Insane; crazy, mentally deranged.
You want to spend $1000 on a pair of shoes? Are you mad?
He's got this mad idea that he's irresistible to women.
Crazy
Very excited or enthusiastic.
He went crazy when he won.
Mad
Angry, annoyed.
Are you mad at me?
Crazy
In love; experiencing romantic feelings.
Why is she so crazy about him?
Mad
Bizarre; incredible.
It's mad that I got that job back a day after being fired.
Crazy
(informal) Very unexpected; wildly surprising.
The game had a crazy ending.
Mad
Wildly confused or excited.
To be mad with terror, lust, or hatred
Crazy
(obsolete) Flawed or damaged; unsound, liable to break apart; ramshackle.
Mad
Extremely foolish or unwise; irrational; imprudent.
Crazy
(obsolete) Sickly, frail; diseased.
Mad
Extremely enthusiastic about; crazy about; infatuated with; overcome with desire for.
Aren't you just mad for that red dress?
Crazy
(slang) Very, extremely.
That trick was crazy good.
Mad
(of animals) Abnormally ferocious or furious; or, rabid, affected with rabies.
A mad dog
Crazy
An insane or eccentric person; a crackpot.
Mad
Intensifier, signifying abundance or high quality of a thing; very, much or many.
I gotta give you mad props for scoring us those tickets.
Their lead guitarist has mad skills.
There are always mad girls at those parties.
Their lead guitarist has mad skills.
There are always mad girls at those parties.
Crazy
Eccentric behaviour; lunacy; craziness.
Mad
(of a compass needle) Having impaired polarity.
Crazy
Characterized by weakness or feebleness; decrepit; broken; falling to decay; shaky; unsafe.
Piles of mean andcrazy houses.
One of great riches, but a crazy constitution.
They . . . got a crazy boat to carry them to the island.
Mad
Intensifier; to a large degree; extremely; exceedingly; very; unbelievably.
He was driving mad slow.
It's mad hot today.
He seems mad keen on her.
Crazy
Broken, weakened, or dissordered in intellect; shattered; demented; deranged.
Over moist and crazy brains.
Mad
To be or become mad.
Crazy
Inordinately desirous; foolishly eager.
The girls were crazy to be introduced to him.
Mad
To madden, to anger, to frustrate.
Crazy
Someone deranged and possibly dangerous
Mad
Disordered in intellect; crazy; insane.
I have heard my grandsire say full oft,Extremity of griefs would make men mad.
Crazy
Affected with madness or insanity;
A man who had gone mad
Mad
Excited beyond self-control or the restraint of reason; inflamed by violent or uncontrollable desire, passion, or appetite; as, to be mad with terror, lust, or hatred; mad against political reform.
It is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols.
And being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
Crazy
Foolish; totally unsound;
An impractical solution
A crazy scheme
Half-baked ideas
A screwball proposal without a prayer of working
Mad
Proceeding from, or indicating, madness; expressing distraction; prompted by infatuation, fury, or extreme rashness.
Mad wars destroy in one year the works of many years of peace.
The mad promise of Cleon was fulfilled.
Crazy
Marked by foolish or unreasoning fondness;
She was crazy about him
Gaga over the rock group's new album
He was infatuated with her
Mad
Extravagant; immoderate.
Crazy
Possessed by inordinate excitement;
The crowd went crazy
Was crazy to try his new bicycle
Mad
Furious with rage, terror, or disease; - said of the lower animals; as, a mad bull; esp., having hydrophobia; rabid; as, a mad dog.
Crazy
Bizarre or fantastic;
Had a crazy dream
Wore a crazy hat
Mad
Angry; out of patience; vexed; as, to get mad at a person.
Crazy
Intensely enthusiastic about or preoccupied with;
Crazy about cars and racing
Mad
Having impaired polarity; - applied to a compass needle.
Crazy
Mentally unstable or insane (informal).
They said he went crazy after the accident.
Mad
To make mad or furious; to madden.
Had I but seen thy picture in this plight,It would have madded me.
Crazy
Difficult to believe or surprising.
It's crazy how much we have in common.
Mad
To be mad; to go mad; to rave. See Madding.
Festus said with great voice, Paul thou maddest.
Mad
An earthworm.
Mad
Roused to anger;
Stayed huffy a good while
She gets mad when you wake her up so early
Mad at his friend
Sore over a remark
Mad
Affected with madness or insanity;
A man who had gone mad
Mad
Marked by uncontrolled excitement or emotion;
A crowd of delirious baseball fans
Something frantic in their gaiety
A mad whirl of pleasure
Mad
Very foolish;
Harebrained ideas
Took insane risks behind the wheel
A completely mad scheme to build a bridge between two mountains
Mad
Feeling or showing anger.
He was mad after losing the game.
Mad
Extremely foolish.
It was a mad decision to go out in the storm.
Mad
In a frenzied state.
The crowd went mad when the band took the stage.
FAQs
Is "mad" more intense than "crazy"?
In the context of anger, "mad" can carry stronger emotional weight.
Is "crazy" always negative?
No, "crazy" can be used positively, like "crazy good."
Are "crazy" and "mad" synonyms?
They can overlap, but they have distinct uses and nuances.
Can "mad" mean mentally ill?
Historically, yes, but it's often seen as insensitive now.
Can "crazy" mean very enthusiastic?
Yes, as in "I'm crazy about her."
Is "crazy" offensive when referring to mental illness?
Yes, it can be considered derogatory and insensitive.
Does "mad" have positive colloquial uses?
Rarely, though phrases like "mad skills" are exceptions.
Is "mad" always about anger in American English?
Most commonly, but it can also mean insane or frenzied.
Can "crazy" denote surprise?
Yes, e.g., "It's crazy how fast he runs!"
Can "mad" be used as a slang for "a lot"?
In some contexts, yes, like "mad respect."
Is it appropriate to call someone "crazy" or "mad"?
It depends on context, but it can be considered disrespectful.
Is "crazy" ever used to describe non-human things?
Yes, like "crazy weather" or "crazy patterns."
How is "crazy" used in pop culture?
It can denote wild behavior, surprise, or extreme liking.
Are "crazy" and "mad" ever interchangeable?
In some contexts, but not always.
Do "crazy" and "mad" have similar origins?
Both have origins in Old English but have evolved differently.
Does "mad" always suggest a high degree of anger?
Not always. It can range from slight irritation to intense anger.
How can I avoid offending someone with "crazy" or "mad"?
Be mindful of context and avoid using them to label people.
Can "mad" imply a frenzied state?
Yes, as in "The crowd went mad."
How is "mad" used in UK English?
It can be synonymous with "crazy."
Is "crazy" a formal term?
No, it's considered informal and colloquial.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Harlon MossHarlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.
