insane
/ɪnˈseɪn/adjective
insane is spelled I-N-S-A-N-E: 6 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 25 times per million words in written English, the 3,612th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, insane means “Exhibiting unsoundness or disorder of mind; not sane; utterly mad” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in insane?
| Letters | 6: I-N-S-A-N-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 25 times per million words; the 3,612th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is insane?
Insane appears 25 times per million words in written English, the 3,612th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce insane?
- /ɪnˈseɪn/
Insane has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-insane.wav, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Wodencafe-insane.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with insane?
No other word on PlainSpell ends in the same sounds as insane.
Spelled with the same letters in another order: sienna.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of insane
- more insane comparative
- insaner comparative
- most insane superlative
- insanest superlative
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does insane mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Exhibiting unsoundness or disorder of mind; not sane; utterly mad.
- 2
Used by or relating to insane people.
an insane hospital
- 3
Causing insanity or madness.
- 4
informalCharacterized by excess or the utmost folly; ridiculous; impractical.
an insane plan
- 5
slangExtremely good; incredibly amazing.
That guy is insane at FPS games.
- 6
informalEnraged; furious.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Insane in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | dérangé, délirant, fou, dément , dérangeant, démentiel |
| German | wahnsinnig, verrückt, geisteskrank |
| Portuguese | insano, doido, louco, débil mental , enlouquecedor |
| Spanish | enfermo mental, enajenado, alienado, perturbado, desequilibrado, chiflado |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does insane come from?
From Latin īnsānus (“unsound in mind; mad, insane”), from in- + sānus (“sound, sane”), equivalent to in- + sane.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).