French word

cinglé

Pronunciation

IPA/sɛ̃gle/

Meaning

  • adjectivecrazy

Example

C'est une idée cinglée.

It's a crazy idea.

Illustration for cinglé (crazy)

More examples

Il a l'air cinglé.

He looks crazy.

Core concept

A person or plan swerving wildly away from ordinary judgment.

Common phrases

  • avoir l'air cinglé

    look crazy

  • un film cinglé

    a crazy film

Similar words

dingue: Remarkably abnormal or surprising, with an informal and emphatic tone.
fou: Seeming to disregard reason and the limits of normal judgment.
bizarre: Unusually different in a way that provokes discomfort or puzzlement.
absurde: Lacking logic or realism and therefore seeming wholly unreasonable.

Definition in French

S'emploie pour signaler qu'une idée, une action ou quelqu'un paraît aberrant, irréfléchi ou complètement décalé.

Word origin

The adjective cinglé is formed from cingler's past participle, with the idea of being struck extending figuratively to someone or something seen as irrational.

Usage tips

  • Cinglé agrees in gender and number, giving cinglée in the feminine and cinglés or cinglées in the plural.

Other meanings

  • ridiculousadjective
  • outlandishadjective

Opposites

  • sensésensibleadjective
  • posécomposedadjective

Related words

  • un cingléa crazy personnoun

Word lists with this word