Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

stir-crazy

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.93 in modern English

Syllables
stir-crazy
IPA
23
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
2
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Of a prisoner, mentally unbalanced due to prolonged incarceration.

Slang

adj

Restless, uncomfortable, or impatient due to inactivity or confinement.

Slang

Example Sentences

Etymology

First attested around 1925, from prison slang stir (“jail or prison”).

Usage

Inflected Forms

more stir-crazy (comparative) most stir-crazy (superlative) stir crazy (alternative)

Phrases

cabin fever

Frequently Paired Words

cabin fever

Questions

What does stir-crazy mean?
Of a prisoner, mentally unbalanced due to prolonged incarceration.
Where does stir-crazy come from?
First attested around 1925, from prison slang stir (“jail or prison”).

How to pronounce stir-crazy

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “stir-crazy”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “stir-crazy”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “stir-crazy” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.