1
as in malfunctioning
not being in working order
The website went haywire when it was overloaded with visitors seeking tickets.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mad
unable to think in a clear or sensible way
She gradually went haywire with grief after the tragic death of her husband.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in amuck
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for haywire
Adjective
-
Later in the film, François Arnaud plays a dreamy/nightmare client, matching her gentleness with mad intensity, while giving their scenes together a charge that carries the film into its frenzied conclusion with bold poise.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
11 July 2025 -
So Lex Luthor, his oldest foe and my favorite, transitions from a mad scientist at this time to the corporate man, the importance of him and capitalist power.—
Ari Daniel,
Smithsonian Magazine,
10 July 2025
Adjective
-
Swing down bed rails are great when getting in and out of bed or changing sheets.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
7 July 2025
-
With a down year in the rearview, Prescott and the Cowboys are looking forward to having a clean slate soon.—
Justin Grasso,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 July 2025
Adjective
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The counselor also told police Trotman had had a previous psychotic break in which he was found wandering the woods.—
Peter Hermann,
Washington Post,
7 Feb. 2023
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Lewis prescribed Price anti-psychotic medication after a mental health referral Sept. 1.—
Thomas Saccente,
Arkansas Online,
17 Jan. 2023
Adjective
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The truck was surprisingly harsh over broken asphalt, and there was a fair bit of road noise, too.—
Tim Stevens,
ArsTechnica,
8 July 2025
-
As the girls sang, waves crashed where water shouldn't flow, tumbling through broken roads and structures turned inside-out.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
8 July 2025
Adjective
-
Amanda learned in like 10 seconds, which is insane.—
Scott Roxborough,
The Hollywood Reporter,
24 Mar. 2025
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If 51% of the population is being so underserved, the ratio to opportunity is insane.—
Gemma Allen,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The price signals are useless because the government prohibited them from being useful.—
The Editors,
National Review,
30 June 2025
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The devices must also give consumers the option of deactivating such features, unless that action would render the device useless.—
Andrew Brown,
Hartford Courant,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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Aquarius: Doctor Octopus, aka Doc Ock Doctor Octopus, a multi-armed maniacal menace who's regarded as one of Spider-Man's most infamous enemies, aligns with Aquarius.—
Skyler Caruso,
People.com,
30 June 2025
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College campuses, after all, cannot and should not be anarchic free speech zones where any maniacal provocateur like Milo Yiannopoulos can come and deliver an outrageous address designed to do nothing other than generate controversy without any pushback.—
David Faris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 May 2025
Adverb
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From Star Trek legend to tireless activist, Takei brings humor, wisdom, and clarity to an era that desperately needs all three.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 July 2025
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But because officials weren’t sure where the storm would deal its harshest blows, most of those assets were staged in San Antonio, not in the Hill Country towns where they would be needed most desperately, the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety said after the storm.—
Richard Webner,
Austin American Statesman,
12 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Haywire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/haywire. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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