a unhinged

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a unhinged" is not correct; it should be "an unhinged." You can use it to describe someone who is mentally unstable or irrational. Example: "The unhinged character in the movie created chaos wherever he went." Alternative expressions include "a deranged" and "a disturbed."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Brett Kavanaugh's testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee about allegations of sexual assault somehow devolved into a unhinged yelling match about beer, blacking out, and bizarre yearbook references.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

He has been a mayor, a presidential candidate, a security consultant, a TV pundit and an unhinged campaign surrogate.

The Washington Post

Camerota aired footage of an unhinged Jones speech at a neo-Nazi event, then posed a blunt question.

HuffPost

Do we really have an unhinged and growing left, a new generation of Soixante-Huitards, to match the unhinged right?

The New York Times - Magazine

These include the Judd Apatow comedy Get Him to the Greek, in which he reprises his Sarah Marshall role as an unhinged rock star and a remake of Arthur, in which he'll play the booze-soaked role made famous by Dudley Moore.

The Guardian - Film

"SMILF" reflects something of this new energy, making it easy to root for Bridgette, who, like the Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren, can be seen as a symbol of resilience, albeit an unhinged one.

The New Yorker

Fey's pilot takes a swipe at talent in a scene in which Liz, the head writer, meets with Tracy, an unhinged movie star whom her new boss wants as a regular on the show.

The New Yorker

Mr. Koestenbaum zeroes in on his subject with an unhinged intensity, Humbert Humbert fresh from a course on semiotics.

The New York Times

The National Association of Police Organizations accused Obama of conducting a "war on cops". Former congressman Joe Walsh posted an unhinged tweet, which was later deleted, saying, "3 Dallas Cops killed, 7 wounded.

HuffPost

Visiting the old couple who previously owned the land, in a nearby care home, she worries that she will seem an unhinged Londoner, and so emphasises her family roots in Somerset.

The Guardian - Books

When a young Christian girl can be jailed swiftly on the demands of an unhinged cleric alleging "blasphemy" in Pakistan, you cannot help but raise an objection.

Princeton University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Proofread for article-noun agreement especially when adding adjectives between them, as the article must match the sound of the word immediately following it.

Common error

Avoid choosing 'a' or 'an' based solely on the first letter of the next word. While 'unhinged' starts with a vowel and takes 'an', some words starting with 'u' like 'university' take 'a' because they begin with a consonant 'y' sound. Focus on how the word is pronounced.

How to use

Learn how to use "a unhinged" with practical examples and tips.

How to use

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a unhinged" functions as a noun phrase constituent where an indefinite article precedes an adjective. However, as noted by Ludwig AI, it contains a clear morphological error. In standard English, the article 'a' must change to 'an' before vowel sounds to facilitate smoother phonetic transitions (liaison).

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

88%

Academia

7%

Science

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a unhinged" is a grammatical error that occasionally appears in informal writing or unedited media snippets. Ludwig AI consistently identifies this as a mistake, recommending the use of "an unhinged" to comply with the rules of English phonology. While the adjective 'unhinged' itself is a powerful tool for describing irrationality or chaos in contexts ranging from politics to film reviews, it must be paired with the correct article. For professional and academic writing, ensure that you use 'an' before this vowel-starting adjective to maintain credibility and clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an unhinged

Corrects the grammatical error by using the appropriate indefinite article for a vowel sound.

a deranged

Uses a synonym with a consonant starting sound, making the article 'a' grammatically correct.

an unstable

A close semantic match that also requires the article 'an' due to the vowel sound.

an erratic

Suggests unpredictable behavior, maintaining the need for 'an'.

a disturbed

A synonymous adjective that correctly follows the article 'a'.

a manic

Describes a specific type of high-energy instability.

an irrational

Focuses on the lack of logic or reason often associated with being unhinged.

a wild

A more informal and broad descriptor for uncontrolled behavior.

a chaotic

Shifts the focus from the individual's mental state to the nature of their actions.

an incoherent

Specifically refers to the lack of clarity in speech or thought.

FAQs

Is "a unhinged" grammatically correct?

No, "a unhinged" is incorrect. You should use "an unhinged" because the word 'unhinged' begins with a vowel sound.

What is a better alternative to "a unhinged"?

Depending on your context, you can use "a deranged", "an unstable", or simply the grammatically correct "an unhinged".

Why do some sources use "a unhinged"?

Occurrences of "a unhinged" in media are generally typographical errors or transcriptions of informal speech. Professional writing platforms like Ludwig recommend using "an unhinged" for all formal and standard contexts.

Does "unhinged" always need an article?

Not necessarily. While you might say "an unhinged person", you can also use it as a standalone adjective, such as saying 'The door was unhinged' or 'He seemed completely unhinged'.