She goes nuts whenever someone parks in her space.
I was going nuts after three hours of drilling next door.
There are blank pages at the back, so go nuts.
Similar words
lose it
go ahead
go wild
go crazy
knock yourself out
freak out
go wild
go berserk
flip out
feel free
Meanings
Lose control through strong emotion
everyday
informal
To become very angry, excited, stressed, or mentally overwhelmed, often in a loud or uncontrolled way.
Usage
Use go nuts for informal reactions that look uncontrolled, from anger to crowd excitement, and avoid it for calm or clinical descriptions.
Examples
If the Wi-Fi drops again, Dad will go nuts.
The crowd went nuts when the singer walked onstage.
I was going nuts after three hours of drilling next door.
She goes nuts whenever someone parks in her space.
The kids went nuts over the new water slide.
Don't go nuts just because the plans changed.
Common mistakes
The plural nuts is sometimes reduced to nut, or the idiom is paired with the wrong preposition.
Incorrect
Correct
I am going nut over this noise.
I am going nuts over this noise.
The crowd went nuts to the singer.
The crowd went nuts when the singer appeared.
She went nuts of him for being late.
She went nuts at him for being late.
He went nuts calmly and quietly.
He stayed calm and quiet.
Similar words
go crazy
lose it
freak out
go wild
go berserk
lose one's mind
flip out
Give free rein
permission
informal
Used as a casual command to tell someone they may do as much as they like or act without holding back.
Usage
Use go nuts as a friendly permission when limits are loose, but choose a clearer phrase in formal instructions.
Examples
Need more sprinkles? Go nuts.
The paint is washable, so go nuts with the colors.
If you want to rearrange the shelves, go nuts.
There are blank pages at the back, so go nuts.
Add as much chili as you like, go nuts.
The sample files are yours to edit, go nuts.
Common mistakes
The command is fixed as go nuts, and extra objects after it usually make the sentence awkward.
Incorrect
Correct
Can I add more cheese? Go nut.
Can I add more cheese? Go nuts.
Go nuts to the toppings.
Go nuts with the toppings.
Go nuts it if you want.
Go nuts if you want.
Please go nuts carefully with the settings.
Please go easy with the settings.
Similar words
go ahead
feel free
go for it
knock yourself out
have at it
help yourself
go wild
Usage
Use go nuts in casual speech for emotional loss of control or playful permission, and choose plainer wording when tone matters.
Common mistakes
I going nuts is missing the auxiliary verb, so standard English needs I am going nuts or I'm going nuts.
Etymology
Built from the slang adjective nuts, meaning crazy or mentally unsound, which is attested from the nineteenth century and was influenced by nut as slang for the head.
FAQ
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