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Use "madhouse" metaphorically for extreme chaos or literally for outdated terms for mental institutions (now considered offensive).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