barking

barking — adjective

1. behaving or thinking in a way that shows a complete lack of common sense, used i

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

behaving or thinking in a way that shows a complete lack of common sense, used informally in British English to describe actions, ideas, or people that seem completely unreasonable.

Example

Piotr thought his landlord was barking for charging him to paint the ceiling pink.

be + barking for describing a person's action as crazy

The plan to cycle across the Sahara in August sounds absolutely barking to me.

barking + sounds/seems/looks for describing an idea or plan

Common collocations
  • barking mad
  • absolutely barking
  • completely barking
  • barking + to-infinitive
Synonyms
  • bonkers

    also British slang, slightly more humorous and less intense

  • mad

    standard British English for 'crazy'; less slangy than 'barking'

  • insane

    more formal and more severe in tone; can be offensive if used about mental health

  • ridiculous

    neutral register, works in any variety of English

Antonyms
  • sane

    opposite meaning, formal register

  • sensible

    opposite meaning, neutral register

Grammar Patterns

be + barking

barking + mad

find something + barking

Usage Note

Almost exclusively British English; may confuse American or Australian readers. The phrase is commonly intensified with 'mad' — 'barking mad' is the most frequent form. Never used in formal writing.

Common Mistakes

She was barking at me all morning.
She was barking mad to try that climb.
'barking' by itself (from the verb 'to bark') means making a dog-like sound; the slang adjective 'barking' means crazy, not the same as the verb.
The exam was barking.
The exam was ridiculous.
'barking' usually describes people, their ideas, or their actions, not impersonal objects or situations.

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe behaviour or ideas that seem very unreasonable, but they differ in register, intensity, and regional use. 'Barking' (short for 'barking mad') is informal British slang and the most regional — an American speaker would likely not say it. 'Bonkers' is also informal and playful, common in British and Australian English, often used for silly rather than dangerous behaviour. 'Mad' is standard British English for 'crazy' and carries less slang flavour; it is also the most common of the group across registers. 'Insane' is more formal and carries a stronger negative charge; using it to describe a person can be offensive because of its connection to mental health. 'Ridiculous' is neutral and cross-dialectal, focusing on the absurdity of the situation rather than the person's mental state. For everyday informal British conversation, 'barking' and 'bonkers' are best; for neutral writing, 'ridiculous' or 'mad' are safer choices.

barking ↗bonkersmad ↗insane ↗ridiculous ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • barking mad

Etymology

English

The slang adjective 'barking' is believed to come from the longer phrase 'barking mad', which may have originated from the idea that someone who is so insane they would bark like a dog — or from the historical association of madhouses with the sound of barking. The condensed form 'barking' emerged in British colloquial use in the 20th century and became established as a standalone slang term for 'crazy'.