freakout

American  

[freek-aut] / ˈfrikˌaʊt /

noun

1. an act or instance of freaking out.

2. a person who freaks out.

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verb phrase

1. to lose or cause to lose emotional control from extreme excitement, shock, fear, joy, despair, etc..

   Seeing the dead body completely freaked him out.

2. to enter into or cause a period of irrational behavior or emotional instability, especially under the influence of a drug.

   to be freaked out on LSD.

Etymology

Origin of freakout

First recorded in 1965–70; noun use of verb phrase freak out (in the sense “to lose one's emotional control”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

freakout

Since that man is at no point real to us—no more than the character in a comic sketch—the film’s increasing wildness takes on the feeling of a wearying and empty freakout.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

In response to the rising collective freakout, Sen. Bernie Sanders called for an all-hands-on-deck A.I. meeting in Congress.

From Slate ● Sep. 15, 2026

He’s looked a little ragged in recent weeks, and though Maye said this week he will be “just fine,” the status of his shoulder is undeniably Patriots freakout topic No. 1.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 5, 2026

However, our call of the day from the former head of commodities at hedge-fund giant Bridgewater, Alexander Campbell, says the “current freakout is overblown” and investors should own the dollar and gold.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 28, 2026

This followed a similar freakout during Mardi Gras last year, when X users melted down over a video of a group of college-aged girls dancing to hip-hop at a gas station in Louisiana.

From Salon ● Aug. 22, 2025