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Madhouse - Meaning, Definition & English Examples

A madhouse is a chaotic or extremely noisy place, often used to describe a situation or environment that is wildly disorganized or out of control, like a crowded, frantic scene.

madhouse

/ˈmædˌhaʊs/ /ˈmædˌhaʊs/

Definition:

A chaotic or insane place, often referring to a mental institution or a wildly disorganized situation.

Synonyms:

asylum, bedlam, nuthouse, loony bin

Part of Speech:

noun

Antonyms:

order, tranquility

Common Collocations:

mental madhouse, complete madhouse, absolute madhouse, total madhouse

Derivatives:

madhoused (rare), madhousing (rare)

Usage Tips:

Use "madhouse" metaphorically for extreme chaos or literally for outdated terms for mental institutions (now considered offensive).

Common Phrases:

like a madhouse, running a madhouse, turned into a madhouse

Etymology:

Derived from "mad" + "house," originally referring to institutions for the mentally ill in the 17th century.

Examples:

  • 1. The office was a madhouse during the holiday rush.
  • 2. She described the crowded mall as a complete madhouse.
  • 3. The old asylum was once called a madhouse by locals.
  • 4. His mind felt like a madhouse after the stressful exam.

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