35 Idioms for Crazy That’ll Make You Laugh

We’ve all met someone who seems a little out of their mind, right? Or maybe you’ve felt like you were losing your marbles during a stressful week. English is full of fun and colorful expressions to describe the “crazy” moments in life, whether they’re funny, wild, or just plain bonkers.

So, if you’re looking to add a little spice to your conversations, here’s a list of 35 idioms that perfectly capture the idea of being crazy, wacky, or just plain offbeat.

Idioms for Crazy That’ll Make You Laugh

Table of Contents

1. Off the Wall

Meaning: When something is unusually strange, bizarre, or wild.
In a Sentence: “His ideas for the new project were totally off the wall, but they ended up being a big hit.”
Other Ways to Say: Outlandish, bizarre, kooky.

2. Mad as a Hatter

Meaning: Extremely crazy or eccentric.
In a Sentence: “You should’ve seen her during that meeting—she was as mad as a hatter, talking about space travel!”
Other Ways to Say: Nuts, loony, bonkers.

3. In La-La Land

Meaning: To be daydreaming or out of touch with reality.
In a Sentence: “I think he was in La-La Land when I asked him to finish the report.”
Other Ways to Say: Spacey, absent-minded, zoned out.

4. Batty

Meaning: A playful way of saying someone is a bit crazy.
In a Sentence: “She must be batty if she thinks that’s a good idea!”
Other Ways to Say: Loony, nuts, daft.

5. Off Your Rocker

Meaning: Acting in a very strange or silly way.
In a Sentence: “He’s off his rocker if he believes that ghost story!”
Other Ways to Say: Crazy, bonkers, out of your mind.

6. A Few Sandwiches Short of a Picnic

Meaning: A humorous way to say someone isn’t thinking straight or is a bit crazy.
In a Sentence: “She’s a few sandwiches short of a picnic if she thinks that’s going to work.”
Other Ways to Say: Not playing with a full deck, a couple fries short of a happy meal.

7. Lose Your Marbles

Meaning: To go a bit crazy, often due to stress or confusion.
In a Sentence: “After all the chaos at work, I almost lost my marbles!”
Other Ways to Say: Go mad, lose it, flip out.

8. Crazy as a Loon

Meaning: Extremely odd or foolish.
In a Sentence: “That guy is as crazy as a loon, trying to build a rocket in his backyard.”
Other Ways to Say: Off-the-wall, bonkers, nuts.

9. Out of Your Mind

Meaning: To be mentally disturbed or to act in an irrational way.
In a Sentence: “You’re out of your mind if you think that plan will work!”
Other Ways to Say: Insane, mad, wild.

10. Not Right in the Head

Meaning: Acting irrational or unstable.
In a Sentence: “He’s not right in the head if he believes that conspiracy theory.”
Other Ways to Say: Off, eccentric, a bit crazy.

11. Mad as a March Hare

Meaning: Someone who behaves in a very wild or unpredictable manner.
In a Sentence: “She was as mad as a March hare when she found out about the surprise party.”
Other Ways to Say: Wild-eyed, eccentric, frantic.

12. A Few Fries Short of a Happy Meal

Meaning: Not quite thinking clearly or being a bit off.
In a Sentence: “I think he’s a few fries short of a happy meal for trying to juggle five tasks at once.”
Other Ways to Say: Not all there, missing a few screws, not the sharpest tool in the shed.

13. Off the Deep End

Meaning: To go crazy or act in a completely unhinged way.
In a Sentence: “She went off the deep end when she heard the news about her promotion.”
Other Ways to Say: Go overboard, lose control, snap.

14. Around the Bend

Meaning: To be a little crazy or irrational.
In a Sentence: “You’ve got to be around the bend to believe that’s true!”
Other Ways to Say: Nuts, insane, bonkers.

15. Screwy

Meaning: A less common way to say someone is crazy or behaving strangely.
In a Sentence: “That plan is totally screwy and won’t work.”
Other Ways to Say: Wacky, zany, weird.

16. As Nutty as a Fruitcake

Meaning: Someone who’s very eccentric or crazy in an amusing way.
In a Sentence: “You should meet my uncle, he’s as nutty as a fruitcake!”
Other Ways to Say: Loony, oddball, strange.

Also Read: 33 Idioms About Waiting

17. Full of Hot Air

Meaning: To talk nonsense or act irrationally.
In a Sentence: “He’s always full of hot air, especially when he starts talking about his big ideas.”
Other Ways to Say: Talking nonsense, spinning a yarn, making stuff up.

18. Out to Lunch

Meaning: To be absent-minded or unaware of what’s going on around you.
In a Sentence: “I think she’s out to lunch if she hasn’t realized the deadline is today.”
Other Ways to Say: Daydreaming, spaced out, not with it.

19. A Little Off

Meaning: Slightly crazy or eccentric.
In a Sentence: “He’s a little off, but I love his quirky personality.”
Other Ways to Say: Quirky, peculiar, weird.

20. As Crazy as a Box of Frogs

Meaning: Extremely crazy, unpredictable, or out of control.
In a Sentence: “The way they were jumping from one project to another made me feel like they were as crazy as a box of frogs.”
Other Ways to Say: Mad as a hatter, off-the-wall, bonkers.

21. All Over the Place

Meaning: When someone is disorganized or chaotic in their thoughts or actions.
In a Sentence: “Her schedule is all over the place, she’s always bouncing between meetings.”
Other Ways to Say: Disorganized, scattered, frazzled.

22. Barking Mad

Meaning: Completely crazy or irrational, often used in a humorous way.
In a Sentence: “He’s barking mad if he thinks he can run a marathon without training.”
Other Ways to Say: Insane, nuts, bonkers.

23. Lost the Plot

Meaning: To lose focus or begin acting in an irrational or confusing way.
In a Sentence: “She really lost the plot when she started arguing about the weather during the meeting.”
Other Ways to Say: Off the rails, out of control, discombobulated.

24. Completely Unhinged

Meaning: To act in a wildly irrational manner or behave without any control.
In a Sentence: “After hearing the news, he went completely unhinged and started yelling at everyone.”
Other Ways to Say: Wild, mad, deranged.

25. Gone Round the Twist

Meaning: To be mentally unstable or acting erratically.
In a Sentence: “After everything that happened, I think she’s gone round the twist!”
Other Ways to Say: Unstable, losing it, crazy.

26. A Basket Case

Meaning: A person who is mentally or emotionally unstable or a situation that is completely chaotic.
In a Sentence: “He’s a total basket case before his big presentations!”
Other Ways to Say: Wreck, mess, nutcase.

27. Crackpot

Meaning: A person with strange, impractical, or foolish ideas, often in an eccentric way.
In a Sentence: “His crackpot ideas about time travel had us all scratching our heads.”
Other Ways to Say: Madman, kook, weirdo.

28. Off the Chain

Meaning: Used to describe someone who is acting excessively wild or out of control.
In a Sentence: “The party last night was off the chain—everyone was dancing like crazy!”
Other Ways to Say: Wild, out of control, insane.

29. A Train Wreck

Meaning: A situation that is disastrous or a person who is completely out of control, often in an entertaining way.
In a Sentence: “Watching his presentation was like a train wreck—you couldn’t look away!”
Other Ways to Say: Disaster, mess, catastrophe.

30. Running on Empty

Meaning: Feeling mentally or physically drained, often to the point of acting irrationally.
In a Sentence: “By the end of the week, she was running on empty and could barely keep her eyes open.”
Other Ways to Say: Exhausted, burned out, depleted.

31. Looney Tune

Meaning: A playful way of referring to someone who is acting in a silly or irrational manner.
In a Sentence: “He’s a real looney tune when he starts talking about conspiracy theories.”
Other Ways to Say: Crazy, nutty, goofy.

32. Out of Whack

Meaning: When something is not functioning properly, or when a person is behaving unusually.
In a Sentence: “Ever since the project got delayed, everything has been out of whack.”
Other Ways to Say: Off, out of sync, unbalanced.

33. Not Playing with a Full Deck

Meaning: To suggest that someone is not thinking clearly or is a little crazy.
In a Sentence: “I’m not sure what he’s talking about—he’s not playing with a full deck these days.”
Other Ways to Say: A few screws loose, missing a few marbles, off the rails.

34. Zapped

Meaning: Feeling mentally or physically drained to the point where one’s behavior seems odd or irrational.
In a Sentence: “I was totally zapped after the all-night meeting and couldn’t think straight the next day.”
Other Ways to Say: Exhausted, wiped out, spent.

35. Gone Totally Bonkers

Meaning: Completely crazy, either in a fun or disturbing way.
In a Sentence: “She’s gone totally bonkers since she started her new job!”
Other Ways to Say: Mad, out of control, loony.

MCQ Quiz: 35 Idioms for Crazy That’ll Make You Laugh

1. Which of the following idioms means “to act in a wild or unpredictable manner”?

a) Gone Round the Twist
b) Off the Wall
c) All Over the Place
d) Lost the Plot

Answer: b) Off the Wall

2. What does the idiom “Barking Mad” mean?

a) Calm and collected
b) Acting in a funny way
c) Completely irrational or crazy
d) Unpredictable in a fun way

Answer: c) Completely irrational or crazy

3. “A Few Fries Short of a Happy Meal” refers to someone who is:

a) Mentally unstable
b) Well-organized
c) Slightly eccentric or off
d) Very intelligent

Answer: c) Slightly eccentric or off

4. Which idiom describes someone who is “mentally or emotionally unstable”?

a) Off the Deep End
b) A Basket Case
c) Gone Totally Bonkers
d) Barking Mad

Answer: b) A Basket Case

5. If someone is “Out to Lunch,” what does that mean?

a) They’re on vacation
b) They’re mentally distracted or absent-minded
c) They’re acting intentionally strange
d) They’re physically unwell

Answer: b) They’re mentally distracted or absent-minded

6. “Not Playing with a Full Deck” suggests that someone is:

a) Missing a few key ideas
b) Mentally unstable or irrational
c) Very logical and thoughtful
d) Extremely organized

Answer: b) Mentally unstable or irrational

7. What does the idiom “Running on Empty” mean?

a) Having no fuel left
b) Feeling mentally and physically drained
c) Acting in a crazy manner
d) Being absent-minded

Answer: b) Feeling mentally and physically drained

8. The idiom “Gone Round the Twist” refers to:

a) A sudden realization
b) A situation becoming worse
c) Someone acting in a wildly irrational way
d) A smooth transition

Answer: c) Someone acting in a wildly irrational way

9. “A Train Wreck” can be used to describe:

a) A highly organized situation
b) A disaster or chaotic person
c) A calm and collected person
d) Someone with perfect planning

Answer: b) A disaster or chaotic person

10. “Zapped” in the context of someone acting irrationally means they are:

a) Extremely energized
b) Overloaded with information
c) Mentally or physically exhausted
d) Very focused

Answer: c) Mentally or physically exhausted

11. Which idiom means that someone is “completely wild and out of control”?

a) Gone Totally Bonkers
b) Off the Wall
c) A Basket Case
d) All Over the Place

Answer: a) Gone Totally Bonkers

12. “Lost the Plot” is used to describe someone who is:

a) Organizing their thoughts well
b) Acting in a confused or irrational way
c) Thinking clearly
d) Very focused on their goals

Answer: b) Acting in a confused or irrational way

13. Which idiom describes someone who is “disorganized or chaotic”?

a) Off the Chain
b) All Over the Place
c) A Basket Case
d) Not Right in the Head

Answer: b) All Over the Place

14. If someone is described as “Looney Tune,” they are:

a) Very focused and determined
b) Acting in a silly or irrational way
c) Highly intelligent
d) Calm and composed

Answer: b) Acting in a silly or irrational way

15. “Full of Hot Air” means someone is:

a) Speaking nonsense or exaggerating
b) Extremely calm and reasonable
c) Giving honest advice
d) A good listener

Answer: a) Speaking nonsense or exaggerating

Wrap Up

In English, there are many fun idioms for crazy. These idioms capture wild, irrational, and eccentric behavior. Whether you’re describing a situation or person, they add spice. Using them makes language more vivid and engaging.

Next time you encounter something out of the ordinary, try these idioms for crazy. They’re perfect for expressing unpredictability or confusion. Play around with them to sound more conversational. Don’t be afraid to let your language get colorful!

James tony