frantic

[ fran-tik ]

/ ˈfræn tɪk /

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See synonyms for: frantic / frantically on Thesaurus.com

adjective

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

Archaic. insane; mad.

OTHER WORDS FOR frantic

1 overwrought, agitated, disturbed, distraught.

See synonyms for frantic on Thesaurus.com

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Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of frantic

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” ( see phrenitis); see frenzy, -tic

OTHER WORDS FROM frantic

fran·ti·cal·ly, adverbfran·tic·ness, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH frantic

fanatic, frantic , frenetic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use frantic in a sentence

It can save you a lot of running around and frantic phone calls to installation experts or IT departments.
Best home security system: Keep your family and property safe|PopSci Commerce Team|January 29, 2021|Popular-Science
His lawyers think he was not informed, because he never mentioned getting his results and continued to call them frantic with worry.
To stay or to go?|Hannah Dreier|December 26, 2020|Washington Post
I embarked on a second, more frantic round of apartment searching and roommate seeking.
First-year fall, off campus|Katie McLean|December 18, 2020|MIT Technology Review
I felt as if invisible hands were holding me, and I made frantic efforts to free myself.
Five Scientists on the Heroes Who Changed Their Lives - Issue 93: Forerunners|Alan Lightman, Hope Jahren, Robert Sapolsky,|December 2, 2020|Nautilus

As before, there was the frantic waving of officials’ arms toward the home team’s sideline at FedEx Field.
Alex Smith got his second chance. Now it’s time to give Dwayne Haskins his.|Kevin Blackistone|November 9, 2020|Washington Post

British Dictionary definitions for frantic

frantic

/ (ˈfræntɪk) /

adjective

distracted with fear, pain, joy, etc

marked by or showing frenzyfrantic efforts

archaic insane

Derived forms of frantic

frantically or franticly, adverbfranticness, noun

Word Origin for frantic

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

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

frantic

OTHER WORDS FOR frantic

Origin of frantic

OTHER WORDS FROM frantic

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH frantic

Words related to frantic

How to use frantic in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for frantic

Derived forms of frantic

Word Origin for frantic