panic attack

American  

noun

Psychiatry.

panic attacks plural

1. an intense attack of anxiety characterized by feelings of impending doom and trembling, sweating, pounding heart, and other physical symptoms.

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panic attack British  

noun

1. an episode of acute and disabling anxiety associated with such physical symptoms as hyperventilation and sweating See also panic disorder

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• panic attacks
  plural

Example Sentences

I had a panic attack in that venue in North London when I was supporting Wu-Tang Clan.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

Warner Judd recalls feeling like she was "having a panic attack" upon returning to the track, and required a year of therapy to fully process her trauma.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026

On the main stage, May Habib, chief executive of an AI platform called Writer, told the audience that Fortune 500 bosses are having a "collective panic attack" on the subject.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

Irish filmmaker John Kelly, who specializes in animation, had a panic attack on an airplane while going through endless flagged emails.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 13, 2026

I’d been on the edge of a panic attack, thinking that I’d lose her.

From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• spasm