frantic

[ fran-tik ]

adjective

1. desperate or wild with excitement, passion, fear, pain, etc.; frenzied.

   Synonyms: distraught, disturbed, agitated, overwrought

2. Archaic. insane; mad.

frantic

/ ˈfræntɪk /

adjective

1. distracted with fear, pain, joy, etc
2. marked by or showing frenzy

   frantic efforts

3. archaic.
   insane

Derived Forms

• ˈfranticness, noun
• ˈfrantically, adverb

Other Words From

• fran·ti·cal·ly adverb
• fran·tic·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of frantic¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English frantik, frenetik, phrentique (the spelling with a appears in the 14th century but is unexplained), from Old French frenetique ( French frénétique ), from Latin phrenēticus, phrenīticus “mad, delirious,” from Greek phrenētikós, phrenītikós “suffering from inflammation of the brain or delerium” ( phrenitis ( def ) ); frenzy, -tic

Word History and Origins

Origin of frantic¹

C14: from Old French frenetique , from Latin phrenēticus mad, frenetic

Example Sentences

After much frantic buzzing about the lot, he's located and changes his plans at the last minute.

From The Daily Beast

Israel also said that the increasingly frantic tone of the emails was because they were an honest assessment of the state of play.

From The Daily Beast

Recently, I listened to the entire frantic news conference from that Sept. 11, 2001 afternoon.

From The Daily Beast

A phone call, a frantic trip, an abrupt change of holiday plans.

From The Daily Beast

Considering the adventure Bernstein was about to embark on, the frantic atmosphere was kind of fitting.

From The Daily Beast

Frantic applause, several times repeated, which drowned the voice of the orator.

From Project Gutenberg

Half frantic, I dashed forward, snatching as I did so a rapier from the wall, the only weapon handy.

From Project Gutenberg

Frantic with fright, she implored her Maker to have mercy on her, remarking at the same time, "The devil has got me at last."

From Project Gutenberg

And so saying, the mis-shapen little demon set up a hideous yell, and danced upon the ground as if frantic with rage.

From Project Gutenberg

A frantic horse kicks tolerably hard you know, but I shall be able to tell you more when the doctor comes to-morrow.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• agitated
• angry
• delirious
• distraught
• frenetic
• frenzied
• furious
• hectic
• mad
• overwrought
• weird