develop madness

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "develop madness" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it in contexts discussing mental health, creativity, or extreme behavior. For example: "The pressure of the competition began to develop madness in the once calm artist." Alternative expressions include "foster insanity" and "cultivate madness."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The station provided Hall with the impetus and space to develop Madness Radio, now a regular radio broadcast in a number of states and a podcast on the internet accessible anywhere (madnessradio.net).

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

But what about the millions who use pot regularly and never develop these "reefer madness" symptoms?

The New York Times - Science

I look for artists who have not yet let their madness out, and I train them to develop it.

The Guardian - Arts

Midtown Madness 2: developed by Angel Studios, published by Microsoft; for Windows 95, 98, Me and 2000; $34.99; for all ages.

The New York Times - Tech

But there is method in this madness: by developing a tablet that really makes the most of Windows 8, Microsoft pushes device makers to do the same.

The Economist

Marble Madness was developed by Atari Games, with Mark Cerny as the lead designer and Bob Flanagan as the software engineer.

Wikipedia

My own sister had developed such kind of madness.

BMC Psychiatry

Midtown Madness (also known as Midtown Madness: Chicago Edition) is a racing game developed for Windows by Angel Studios (now Rockstar San Diego) and published by Microsoft.

Wikipedia

Pharmaceutical salesman Richard makes his living out of the "pockets of madness and gluts of sadness" of the developing world.

The Guardian - Books

Turing did start seeing a Jungian analyst and developed a taste for Tolstoy, but neither is an infallible sign of madness.

The New Yorker

That developed into a curiosity to know how the women I interviewed for "Perfect Madness" were doing.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "develop madness" when you want to emphasize a process or progression towards a state of mental instability, rather than a sudden onset.

Common error

Avoid using "develop madness" interchangeably with terms like "experience sadness" or "feel anxiety". "Develop madness" specifically refers to a decline in mental stability, not just any emotional state.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "develop madness" functions as a verb phrase, where "develop" is the verb and "madness" is the noun acting as the direct object. The phrase indicates a process or progression towards a state of mental instability. Ludwig provides examples showing its use in describing character development or societal trends.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Wiki

15%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "develop madness" is a grammatically sound expression used to describe a process or progression towards mental instability. Though Ludwig indicates the phrase is valid, it is relatively infrequent. "Develop madness" typically appears in news, wiki and science contexts, suggesting a neutral to formal register. While grammatically correct and understood, consider synonyms like ""descend into madness"" or ""succumb to madness"" for variations in tone or emphasis. Use the phrase mindfully, especially in formal contexts, to ensure the appropriate level of sensitivity and precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

descend into madness

This phrase suggests a gradual decline into a state of madness.

succumb to madness

This implies a yielding or giving in to madness, often against one's will.

foster insanity

This suggests actively encouraging or nurturing madness.

cultivate madness

Similar to 'foster insanity', but suggests a more deliberate and controlled process.

become insane

A more direct and clinical way of stating that someone is developing madness.

go crazy

An informal way of saying someone is becoming mad.

lose one's mind

This emphasizes the loss of mental control.

snap

Implies a sudden and abrupt descent into madness.

go off the rails

Suggests a deviation from normal behavior into erratic or mad actions.

fall into derangement

A more formal and clinical way of saying someone is becoming mentally disturbed.

FAQs

How can I use "develop madness" in a sentence?

You can use "develop madness" to describe a gradual descent into mental instability, as in, "The isolation and pressure began to develop madness in him."

What phrases are similar to "develop madness"?

Similar phrases include "descend into madness", "succumb to madness", or "lose one's mind", each with slightly different connotations.

Is it appropriate to use "develop madness" in formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "develop madness" might sound dramatic. Consider more clinical terms like "fall into derangement" for formal contexts.

What's the difference between "develop madness" and "go crazy"?

"Develop madness" suggests a process, while "go crazy" implies a sudden, often temporary, loss of control. The former is generally more severe and lasting.