panic

¹

[pan-ik]

noun

1. a sudden overwhelming fear, with or without cause, that produces hysterical or irrational behavior, and that often spreads quickly through a group of persons or animals.

   Synonyms: fear, alarm

2. an instance, outbreak, or period of such fear.

3. Finance.,  a sudden widespread fear concerning financial affairs leading to credit contraction and widespread sale of securities at depressed prices in an effort to acquire cash.

4. Slang.,  someone or something that is considered hilariously funny.

   The comedian was an absolute panic.

adjective

1. of the nature of, caused by, or indicating panic.

   A wave of panic buying shook the stock market.

2. (of fear, terror, etc.) suddenly destroying the self-control and impelling to some frantic action.

3. Panic, of or relating to the god Pan.

verb (used with object)

panicked, panicking 

1. to affect with panic; terrify and cause to flee or lose self-control.

2. Slang.,  to keep (an audience or the like) highly amused.

verb (used without object)

panicked, panicking 

1. to be stricken with panic; become frantic with fear.

   The herd panicked and stampeded.

panic

²

[pan-ik]

noun

1. Also called panic grass. any grass of the genus Panicum, many species of which bear edible grain.

2. the grain.

panic

¹

/ ˈpænɪk /

noun

1. a sudden overwhelming feeling of terror or anxiety, esp one affecting a whole group of people

2. (modifier) of or resulting from such terror

   panic measures

verb

1. to feel or cause to feel panic

Panic

²

/ ˈpænɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to the god Pan

Other Word Forms

• panicky adjective
• unpanicky adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of panic¹

First recorded in 1580–90; earlier panique, from French, from Greek Panikós “of Pan”; Pan, -ic

Origin of panic²

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English panik, from Latin pānicum “Italian millet”

Word History and Origins

Origin of panic¹

C17: from French panique, from New Latin pānicus, from Greek panikos emanating from _Pan , considered as the source of irrational fear

Idioms and Phrases

see push the panic button.

Synonym Study

See terror.

Example Sentences

Don’t interpret this as a prediction of a panic or crisis.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

American soybean farmers are in panic mode as they harvest what is expected to be a bumper crop without their biggest customer: China.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

She still panics every time her building shakes.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

He accused the company of financial mismanagement and of making a "rushed through, panicked" decision.

Read more on BBC

A central NIS station in Belgrade was quiet on Thursday, as the head of the company's consumer arm told the state broadcaster that there was no need for motorists to panic buy.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• alarm 
• confusion 
• consternation 
• dismay 
• dread 
• fear 
• frenzy 
• horror 
• hysteria 
• rush 
• scare 
• stampede 
• terror 
• trepidation