CRAZE means an enthusiastic interest or activity that becomes very popular for a short period; a temporary fashion or trend that captures widespread attention.
Yes. CRAZE is in the Scrabble-style word list used by our tools and scores 16 points in Scrabble, 17 in Words With Friends and 17 in Wordfeud (base tile values, no board multipliers). Always check the dictionary your game uses (NWL, Collins or the WWF list) before playing.
| Letter | C | R | A | Z | E | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrabble | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 16 |
| Words With Friends | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 17 |
| Wordfeud | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 17 |
CRAZE (noun) refers to an intense enthusiasm or obsession that sweeps through a population, typically characterized by its temporary nature and widespread adoption. As a verb, it means to produce a network of fine cracks on a surface, or to make someone insane or wildly enthusiastic.
In social contexts, a craze represents a collective behavior where large numbers of people become intensely interested in something for a brief period. Unlike trends, which develop gradually, crazes appear suddenly and often disappear just as quickly. They're driven by social contagion, where enthusiasm spreads rapidly through social networks.
The word captures the almost manic energy of mass phenomena, from dance crazes like the Twist to collecting crazes like Beanie Babies. Modern digital culture has accelerated the craze cycle, with viral challenges and memes spreading globally within hours rather than weeks.
The word "craze" has fascinating origins dating to the 14th century. It comes from Middle English "crasen," meaning "to break" or "to shatter," which itself derived from Old Norse "krasa" (to shatter). Originally, it referred to the physical cracking or breaking of objects, particularly pottery or glass. By the 1600s, the meaning evolved to include mental "cracking" or becoming insane. The modern sense of "temporary enthusiasm" emerged in the 1800s, connecting the idea of collective madness to popular phenomena.
Anagrams: no other word uses exactly the letters of CRAZE.
Hooks: no front hooks; back CRAZED, CRAZES.
Words inside CRAZE: 17 shorter words can be made from these letters – highest scoring: CZARRAZEZAACRECARERACEACEARCCARRECAREEAR. See all words from CRAZE.