Finesentence

Madden Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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madden

mad-den

🇺🇸 /ˈmædən/ · 🇬🇧 /mˈædən/

Definitions

Context #1 | Verb

anger, excite

To madden someone means to make them extremely angry or frustrated. It often involves actions or statements that provoke an intense emotional response.

Synonyms

anger, enrage, infuriate, irritate.

Examples of usage

  • The constant noise from the construction site maddened the residents.
  • Her refusal to admit her mistake maddened her colleagues.
  • The unfair treatment of the players maddened the coach.
Context #2 | Verb

frenzy, rage

To madden can also mean to drive someone into a state of frenzy or madness. This usage often implies a loss of rational thought due to overwhelming emotions.

Synonyms

dement, disturb, drive crazy, unhinge.

Examples of usage

  • The challenges he faced in his career gradually maddened him.
  • The endless pursuit of perfection seemed to madden the artist.
  • The betrayal by his best friend maddened him beyond reason.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Quick facts about “madden”

Madden is a 2-syllable verb (mad-den). It is pronounced /ˈmædən/ in American English and /mˈædən/ in British English. On finesentence.com it has 2 meanings, 8 synonyms, and translations into 21 languages. It ranks #37,262 among the most common English words.

Origin of 'madden'

The word 'madden' originates from the Middle English 'maden,' meaning 'to make mad' or 'to drive to madness.' This term is derived from the Old English 'gemæd,' which means 'mad' or 'insane.' Over time, the meaning evolved to encompass causing someone to become very angry or frustrated, rather than merely being in a state of madness. The roots can be traced back further to Proto-Germanic 'maþiz,' meaning 'to be angry or fierce.' The usage of 'madden' as a verb to indicate causing anger showcases the dynamic nature of language, as it has shifted from a more general sense of madness to a specific focus on provoking strong negative emotions in others. This evolution reflects broader cultural views of anger and frustration as increasingly significant social experiences.

Rhymes

Madden rhymes with gladden, sadden, cadden, fadden, haddan, hadden, haddon and hadn't.

See all rhymes →

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #37,262, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.