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Synonyms

panic

1 American  
[pan-ik] / ˈpæn ɪk /

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 American  
[pan-ik] / ˈpæn ɪk /

noun

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

  2. the grain.

panic 1 British  
/ 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
"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

verb

  1. to feel or cause to feel panic

"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
Panic 2 British  
/ ˈpænɪk /

adjective

  1. of or relating to the god Pan

"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
panic Idioms  

  1. see push the panic button.

Related Words

See terror.

Other Word Forms

  • panicky adjective
  • unpanicky adjective

Etymology

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”

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.

Amid heightened concerns over gun violence in schools, companies are marketing an array of new technologies, from AI-powered gun detection tools to wearable panic buttons.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

The announcement immediately triggered a global stock market panic, resulting in the largest decline since 2020, when the stock market crashed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026

Despite a poor showing in the polls, Orban's allies deny that there is panic in the Fidesz camp.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

Shear says he first began his original screenplay with an image of a young man having a panic attack in the self-help section of a bookshop and grew the script from there.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

I feel a surge of panic at the idea of them leaving so quickly.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.