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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You Name It: Eponyms
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Common Five-letter Words for Wordle, List 1
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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:
An abundance of panic is how others have seen it.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
Leah Williamson doesn't panic in those moments, she knows what she's doing.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
“That’s when panic started. We were not scared but we were not sure what was going on at that point,” Machchhar told the podcast.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
A woman living nearby called police in a panic after she found a snake, which turned out not to be a viper.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
“What’s all this?” she asked, but she had an idea, and the panic started to bubble.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
This northeast Georgia city has a rich music history, tied to bands including Widespread Panic, REM and The B-52s.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026
They include Welsh groups Super Furry Animals and Panic Shack, as well as Loose Articles and Mogwai, with the latter appearing as a sponsor on the shirt worn by Chatten at Reading.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 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
Panic gripped her throat like a giant's hand.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
If a cat panics, Mathers said, anything could happen, including losing the pet.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
While they fight over custody she panics and plans to run away with Nino.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Among the many tedious features of market panics is the well-known cognitive error of catastrophizing.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 13, 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
I stood up again in Engel’s cloud of smoke—hadn’t even ordered anything, just as well as it always panics me to have to speak French to strangers.
From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein
Underwood dropped back, surveyed the field, and chucked a panicked throw straight out of bounds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
At times, pilots have panicked, fearing they were running out of runway, and braked too hard, causing accidents.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026
Raging at another exit, raging that when the chips were down too many of his fellow players panicked and allowed themselves to be overrun, raging at professional pride being trampled underfoot for all to see.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
I point this out because investors panicked earlier this week as the bottom appeared to drop out of the market — even if temporarily.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 22, 2026
Head still bowed, she listened to the sounds of pounding feet and panicked animals running around her until she dared to look up.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
Loum Tchaouna: The winger provided some threat for Coventry on the wing and his speculative acrobatic effort in the first half had Raya panicking for a second.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
I guess I should have said, ‘bond traders can stop panicking when Scott Bessent starts panicking,” Jim Bianco, president of Bianco Research, posted on X shortly after the announcement.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
"We were here at home panicking a little, in our bodies, my arms were still shaking," she said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
I recounted the incident to my therapist, panicking at the prospect of a “date.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
My hands go numb, so I know I’m panicking, but I don’t really feel it, not the way I normally do.
From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth
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.
