Words / C1

in-SAYN/ɪnˈseɪn/

Insane means seriously mentally ill (use with care; dated or clinical), or informal: extremely unreasonable: an insane risk. Mad is informal; a rebrand is comms, not a licence to invent an n.

Meaning

Seriously mentally ill (dated or clinical care needed); informal: extremely unreasonable.

Examples

• “Publishing an invented n is an insane methods choice, not a bold rebrand.”
• “Unreasonable is safer in academic prose. Mad is informal. A rebrand is a logo. A count is a file. Put the real n in; then rebrand if it still helps.”

Good to know

Mentally ill, or wildly unreasonable. Safer academic: unreasonable. A rebrand ≠ an invented n.

Near in meaning

unreasonable

New