craze
B1informal (as a fad), technical (as a crack)
Definition
Meaning
A temporary, intense, and widespread enthusiasm for something.
A fad or mania. Can also refer to a fine crack in a material like pottery or porcelain.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a noun, primarily denotes a collective, often irrational, popular obsession. The technical meaning (crack) is unrelated etymologically and belongs to a different register.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is virtually identical. Both use 'craze' for fads and the technical term for cracks in pottery.
Connotations
Slightly stronger suggestion of irrationality or transience in British English.
Frequency
Slightly more common in UK media, but a high-frequency word in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
the craze for [noun/gerund] (e.g., craze for yoga)the craze to [infinitive] (less common)a craze sweeps [place/group]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “all the craze”
- “the craze of the moment”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in marketing and media to describe short-lived consumer trends (e.g., 'capitalizing on the latest health-food craze').
Academic
Used in sociology, cultural studies, and history to analyse collective behaviour.
Everyday
Common in conversation and media to describe popular trends (e.g., 'the latest TikTok craze').
Technical
In ceramics/pottery, refers to a network of fine cracks in the glaze.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The potter examined the vase, noting how the kiln had crazed the glaze.
American English
- The rapid firing crazed the ceramic finish.
adjective
British English
- He was craze about the new band, buying all their records.
American English
- She's been craze for that reality show all season.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The new game is a big craze at our school.
- There was a craze for collecting Pokémon cards in the 1990s.
- Social media fuels short-lived crazes that can vanish as quickly as they appear.
- Sociologists study these cultural crazes as manifestations of collective anxiety or desire.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'maze' of people running wildly in a CRAZE for the latest thing.
Conceptual Metaphor
A FAD IS A DISEASE (it 'sweeps' the nation, people are 'infected' by it).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of 'craze' as 'безумие' (insanity) for the 'fad' meaning. Use 'помешательство' (mania) or 'повальное увлечение'. The technical 'crack' meaning is 'трещина (глазури)'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'craze' as a verb (archaic; 'to craze' means to make insane or crack). Confusing 'craze' (collective, temporary) with 'obsession' (individual, potentially long-lasting).
Practice
Quiz
Which of these is the LEAST likely synonym for 'craze' in the context of a popular trend?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is generally neutral but can imply criticism by highlighting the temporary and often irrational nature of the enthusiasm.
In modern English, the verb 'to craze' is rare and technical, meaning to produce fine cracks (in glaze). The common noun meaning 'fad' is not used verbally.
A 'craze' suggests a more intense, widespread, and short-lived phenomenon, often with an element of irrational excitement. A 'trend' can be longer-lasting and more measured.
No, they are etymologically distinct. 'Craze' (fad) comes from Old Norse 'krasa' (to shatter), metaphorically extended to mental state. The pottery term comes from the same root but retained the literal meaning of cracking.