madly

adverb

mad·​ly ˈmad-lē How to pronounce madly (audio)
Synonyms of madlynext
1
: in a mad manner
2
: to an extreme or excessive degree
madly in love

Synonyms

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Examples of madly in a Sentence

He told her that he loved her madly. She fell madly in love with him.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The pulsating warlike dances return, and the queen scribbles madly on the ground before collapsing before us. — Jennifer Homans, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025 Their interaction was one of the many nostalgic film reunions of the night. Ghost, also starring Patrick Swayze and Tony Goldwyn, follows Sam Wheat (Swayze) and Molly Jensen (Moore), who are madly in love. — Michelle Lee, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025 When Luigi arrived, tail wagging madly, students from throughout the school came to play with him — including some who had otherwise refused to return to campus. — Emily Baumgaertner Nunn, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025 Today’s Wordle Etymology The word madly comes from mad (meaning insane, foolish, or intense in emotion) + -ly, a suffix used to form adverbs. — Erik Kain, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for madly

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of madly was in the 13th century

Rhymes for madly

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madly
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Cite this Entry

“Madly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/madly. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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