panic
noun
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.
panic
1 American
[pan-ik]
/ ˈpæn ɪk /
noun
-
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.
-
an instance, outbreak, or period of such fear.
-
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.
-
Slang. someone or something that is considered hilariously funny.
The comedian was an absolute panic.
adjective
-
of the nature of, caused by, or indicating panic.
A wave of panic buying shook the stock market.
-
(of fear, terror, etc.) suddenly destroying the self-control and impelling to some frantic action.
-
Panic, of or relating to the god Pan.
verb (used with object)
-
panics,
present (3rd person singular)
-
panicked,
past participle, past
-
panicking
present participle
-
to affect with panic; terrify and cause to flee or lose self-control.
-
Slang. to keep (an audience or the like) highly amused.
verb (used without object)
-
panics,
present (3rd person singular)
-
panicked,
past participle, past
-
panicking
present participle
panic
2
American
[pan-ik]
/ ˈpæn ɪk /
noun
-
Also called panic grass. any grass of the genus Panicum, many species of which bear edible grain.
-
the grain.
panic
1
British
/ ˈpænɪk /
noun
-
a sudden overwhelming feeling of terror or anxiety, esp one affecting a whole group of people
-
(modifier) of or resulting from such terror
panic measures
verb
Panic
2
British
/ ˈpænɪk /
adjective
panic
Idioms
Synonym Usage
See terror.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
panicsimple
-
panicssimple
-
have panickedperfect
-
has panickedperfect
-
am panickingprogressive
-
are panickingprogressive
-
is panickingprogressive
-
have been panickingperfect progressive
-
has been panickingperfect progressive
Past
-
panickedsimple
-
had panickedperfect
-
was panickingprogressive
-
were panickingprogressive
-
had been panickingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of panic1
First recorded in 1580–90; earlier panique, from French, from Greek Panikós “of Pan”; see Pan, -ic
Origin of panic2
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English panik, from Latin pānicum “Italian millet”
Explanation
To panic is to become filled with fear and anxiety. Someone in a panic is totally freaking out. Have you ever heard someone say "Don't panic"? That's easier said than done. People panic when they lose control over themselves because of fear, stress, or danger. A pilot who runs into turbulence and then flees from the cockpit has panicked. A surgeon who makes a mistake might panic for a second, before chilling out and helping the patient. It's hard to do a good job when you panic. Panicking is pretty much the opposite of relaxing.
Vocabulary lists containing panic
Emotions on Display
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Amanda’s rage quickly morphs into panic because she knows how dependent the childlike Leslie is on her husband, who functions as her primary caregiver.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
The South Korean Kospi closed over 6% lower to log its worst day since 2025, after trading was halted for 20 minutes amid panic selling.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
"Maisie's heart rate had dropped and a midwife ran in and said 'don't panic, but I need to pull the emergency cord - you're having your baby'," Danielle said.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
Her motto is "don't panic, be prepared", she says.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026
She coughed and retched—and then almost fell out of her saddle as Dodger reared up on his hind legs in a panic.
From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz
Panic selling is when an investor sells stocks based on fear or short-term swings rather than a clear analysis of the business behind the stock.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2026
Then, finally, came the devastating Panic of 1907, when the market crashed 30%, losing 10% in October alone.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
Panic has set in among some who reportedly find themselves screaming in committee meetings, “We’re screwed!”
From Salon ● Aug. 28, 2026
Welsh groups Super Furry Animals and Panic Shack as well as Mogwai and Loose Articles will appear on the front of Cwmbran Celtic AFC men's and women's first-team home and away shirts.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
Piper glanced at the stone carvings above the doorways: the scowling twin faces of Fear and Panic.
From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan
The strategists added that geopolitical crises generally cause temporary panics, which could prove attractive entry points for investors if the U.S. economy stays strong.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026
She panics on red carpets and says interviews make her nervous, although she certainly doesn’t seem it today.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
Throughout the 1800s and early 1900s, the federal government stepped in repeatedly during banking panics to stabilize the system.
From Salon ● Apr. 28, 2026
Whenever somebody stares at Sasha-Jay Davies in a supermarket, she panics, thinking they recognise her face and are about to confront her.
From BBC ● Mar. 11, 2026
If she panics, she’ll forget to hold on.
From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret
"He panicked and ran, falling over a few times before escaping the flames. Bottles of water were thrown on him by colleagues, he was undressed and clingfilm was applied to his burns."
From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2026
Santa Rosa resident Chara Brazley said she received a panicked call from her 24-year-old daughter, who works at Ulta Beauty at the shopping center.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026
Peta says birds can become "frightened, disoriented and panicked" in stadium environments, putting themselves and fans at risk.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
Strong shaking in Panama City, over 200 kilometers from the epicenter, sent panicked people pouring into the streets from the capital's numerous high-rise buildings.
From Barron's ● Oct. 10, 2026
“Yeah, turns out she’s into one of her guy best frien—” Ethan stopped abruptly and had the decency to wince when he caught my panicked expression.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
"The kind of person who misses a flight and, instead of panicking, calmly adapts to the situation. This person may still feel stressed, but they're better able to manage it through psychological flexibility."
From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026
But I've had enough of second-guessing myself and panicking I'm poisoning my child if I feed him chicken nuggets, so I've given my shopping list to a dietitian to analyse.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
Hartnett has often reminded investors of late that markets stop panicking when the Fed starts panicking.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026
“I’ve been saying ‘bond traders can stop panicking when the Fed starts panicking,’” said Jim Bianco, president at Bianco Research.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
“I was panicking when I saw that thing in Magnolia Crescent....It was probably just a stray dog....”
From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling
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