What does crazily mean?
Crazily is an adverb formed from the adjective crazy, and it carries two closely related senses. In its primary use it describes an action done in a wild, irrational, reckless, or insane manner: someone might drive crazily, laugh crazily, or behave crazily. Its second, more recent and distinctly informal sense works as an intensifier meaning 'to an extreme degree', as in prices rising crazily fast. The word belongs to everyday conversational English rather than formal writing, where terms like 'irrationally' or 'inconsistently' are usually preferred. It derives ultimately from craze, which originally meant to shatter or crack — so the underlying image behind craziness is of something broken or damaged. Crazily appears frequently in journalism, fiction, and casual speech, giving writers a vivid, slightly playful way to convey disorder, excess, or absurdity without clinical language.
adverbIn a crazy manner; in a way that is wildly eccentric, senseless, or mentally unbalanced. Also used informally to mean extremely or to a very great degree.
- In a wild, irrational, or insane manner.
- To an extreme degree; very (informal intensifier).
"The children were laughing crazily as they chased each other around the garden."
"He drove crazily through the narrow streets, ignoring every signal."
"The tickets were selling crazily fast within minutes of release."
"Crazily" traces back to a Middle English word for a shattered fragment — so calling something crazy is, deep down, comparing it to broken pottery.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of crazily
Crazily is formed from crazy plus the adverbial suffix -ly. Crazy itself derives from craze, a verb attested from late Middle English (14th–15th century) meaning to shatter or break into pieces, likely of Scandinavian origin related to Old Norse. The sense shifted metaphorically from physical shattering to mental breakdown by the 16th century, and the adverb followed this development. Related forms include the noun craze and the adjective crazy, all sharing this Germanic root.
How crazily is actually used
Informal register; the intensifying sense ('crazily expensive') is colloquial and best avoided in formal writing.
Easily confused with crazily
Grazily means in a grazing or lightly touching manner, while crazily means wildly or insanely.