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bonkers

UK/ˈbɒŋkəz/US/ˈbɑŋkɚz/
adjectiveB2Common in everyday speech and writing · #7,902 of 15,258leans spoken

Bonkers means mad, in British informal use. Go bonkers, absolutely bonkers, that is bonkers.

It is light-hearted and applied to situations far more than to people, which keeps it clear of being a comment on mental health. Stark raving bonkers is the full form. It has no singular and never appears before a noun.

Definitions of bonkers

  1. 1adjectivebonkersMad, in British informal use.B2

    “You're driving to Scotland tonight? That's absolutely bonkers!”

bonkers is a state.

Also accepted in games: barmy

Where it comes from

Of unknown origin, British, from the mid twentieth century, perhaps from bonk, a blow on the head.

unknown. Perhaps from bonk (a blow or punch on the head, compare whacky); perhaps related to earlier bonce.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

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