madly

Madly is an adverb formed from the adjective mad, used to describe the manner in which an action is performed or the degree of an attribute. In contemporary English, madly typically conveys intense emotion, energetic activity, or extreme or reckless behavior. It often appears in phrases such as “madly in love” to indicate overpowering affection, or “to work madly” to describe rapid or frenzied effort. It can also describe actions done without restraint or judgment, as in “driving madly through the city.” The sense of insanity in mad or madly is largely metaphorical and idiomatic in modern usage, though mad can still retain its literal sense in contexts referring to mental illness; however, careful or sensitive usage is advised in clinical or stigmatizing contexts.

Etymology: The word is formed from the adjective mad plus the adverbial suffix -ly, a combination dating back to Old and Middle English forms for mad, which carried senses of insanity, fury, or foolishness. The construction is parallel to other adverbs formed with -ly from adjectives in English.

Usage considerations: Madly is more common in informal or literary prose than in highly formal registers. It can convey zeal, fervor, or recklessness, and may be considered cliché in certain phrases such as “madly in love” depending on context. Alternatives include frantically, wildly, intensely, or passionately.

See also: mad, madness, mania, frenzy, zeal.