stampede

[ stam-peed ]
See synonyms for stampede on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a sudden, frenzied rush or headlong flight of a herd of frightened animals, especially cattle or horses.

  2. any headlong general flight or rush.

  1. Western U.S., Canada. a celebration, usually held annually, combining a rodeo, contests, exhibitions, dancing, etc.

verb (used without object),stam·ped·ed, stam·ped·ing.
  1. to scatter or flee in a stampede: People stampeded from the burning theater.

  2. to make a general rush: On hearing of the sale, they stampeded to the store.

verb (used with object),stam·ped·ed, stam·ped·ing.
  1. to cause to stampede.

  2. to rush or overrun (a place): Customers stampeded the stores.

Origin of stampede

1
An Americanism first recorded in 1815–25; from Spanish estampida, equivalent to estamp(ar) “to stamp” + -ida noun suffix

Other words from stampede

  • stam·ped·er, noun
  • un·stam·ped·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use stampede in a sentence

  • There was a growling thunder from the crowd behind, and the weary, disappointed stampeders slouched away.

    The Trail of '98 | Robert W. Service
  • The rest of the stampeders are reported to be in Baltimore and Philadelphia, and no one knows where else.

  • "You'll want all the wind you got before you get back," she said shortly, and silence fell on the stampeders.

    The Magnetic North | Elizabeth Robins (C. E. Raimond)
  • We watch them as they come, and as the last laggers pant by the mound we look westward and see the stampeders halting.

    The Western World | W.H.G. Kingston
  • No doubt the stampeders would return in a few days, find "Crusty" and take him back with them.

    The Long Patrol | H. A. Cody

British Dictionary definitions for stampede

stampede

/ (stæmˈpiːd) /


noun
  1. an impulsive headlong rush of startled cattle or horses

  2. headlong rush of a crowd: a stampede of shoppers

  1. any sudden large-scale movement or other action, such as a rush of people to support a candidate

  2. Western US and Canadian a rodeo event featuring fairground and social elements

verb
  1. to run away or cause to run away in a stampede

Origin of stampede

1
C19: from American Spanish estampida, from Spanish: a din, from estampar to stamp, of Germanic origin; see stamp

Derived forms of stampede

  • stampeder, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012