Synonyms

panic button

American

noun

an alarm button for use in an emergency, as to summon help.

idioms

push / hit / press the panic button, to give way to panic in a distressing situation.

panic button British

noun

a button or switch that operates any of various safety devices, for use in an emergency
informal to react to a situation by demanding emergency action; become excited; 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

Etymology

Origin of panic button

Allegedly first used in reference to emergency bell systems on World War II bombers such as the B-17 and B-24

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.

This week’s software-stock selloff feels like the latest reason to reach for the career panic button, unless you happen to be an artificial-intelligence developer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026

No one is pushing a panic button just yet, though.

From Barron's • Jan. 8, 2026

Now Anthropic has provided one bot with a panic button just in case.

From Slate • Aug. 20, 2025

The water alarm was triggered at 8:16 a.m., and the panic button on the keypad by the front door was activated at 8:55 a.m.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2025

When I put the panic button back in the pocket of the backpack, it wasn’t for me.

From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken

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