panic

[pan-ik]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR panic ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

(initial capital letter) of or relating to the god Pan.

verb (used with object), pan·icked, pan·ick·ing.

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), pan·icked, pan·ick·ing.

to be stricken with panic; become frantic with fear: The herd panicked and stampeded.

RELATED WORDS

Origin of panic

1595–1605; earlier panique < French < Greek Panikós of Pan; see -ic

Related formspan·ick·y, adjectiveun·pan·ick·y, adjective

Synonyms for panic

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR panic ON THESAURUS.COM

1. alarm. See terror.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for panicky

Contemporary Examples of panicky

It's a panicky move coming amid a deluge of corruption allegations a week before key elections.
Turkey’s Useless Twitter Ban
Thomas Seibert
March 21, 2014
“He was embarrassed and panicky and apologized and said ‘I wanted to see if I could get myself free,’” she told the court.
Scotland Yard: Dead Spy in a Bag Probably an Accident
Nico Hines
November 14, 2013
You heard the panicky tones of operatives flooded with calls from the field about technical snafus and mass confusion.
The Romney Campaign’s Ground Game Fiasco
Eli Lake, Daniel Klaidman, Ben Jacobs
November 9, 2012
There is also no reason for a panicky Islamophobic response.
What Pakistan's Terrorists Want
Bruce Riedel
May 4, 2010
People get panicky, they're afraid to stay the course, so they start selling.
Interview With Edmund Phelps
The Daily Beast
July 13, 2009

Historical Examples of panicky

He wondered with a panicky feeling whether he had hurt her in any way.
The Harbor of Doubt
Frank Williams
He had rested but a moment, when he was seized with an extraordinary "panicky" feeling.
Two Boys in Wyoming
Edward S. Ellis
Briscoe might get it away from me, or he might not; but I wa'n't goin' to get panicky over it.
Torchy, Private Sec.
Sewell Ford
I'm so scared that if I'm intercepted, I may get panicky, and if I do someone is likely to get hurt.
Highways in Hiding
George Oliver Smith
I've got some ideas I don't dare tell you about; you might get panicky and run!
Blacksheep! Blacksheep!
Meredith Nicholson

British Dictionary definitions for panicky

panic

noun

a sudden overwhelming feeling of terror or anxiety, esp one affecting a whole group of people

(modifier) of or resulting from such terrorpanic measures

verb -ics, -icking or -icked

to feel or cause to feel panic

Derived Formspanicky, adjective

Word Origin for panic

C17: from French panique, from New Latin pānicus, from Greek panikos emanating from Pan, considered as the source of irrational fear

Panic

adjective

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

Word Origin and History for panicky

adj.

1869, from panic (n.1) + -y (2). Related: Panickiness.

panic

n.1

"mass terror," 1708, from earlier adjective (c.1600, modifying fear, terror, etc.), from French panique (15c.), from Greek panikon, literally "pertaining to Pan," the god of woods and fields, who was the source of mysterious sounds that caused contagious, groundless fear in herds and crowds, or in people in lonely spots.

In the sense of "panic, fright" the Greek word is short for panikon deima "panic fright," from neuter of Panikos "of Pan." Meaning "widespread apprehension about financial matters" is first recorded 1757. Panic button in figurative sense is first recorded 1955, the literal sense apparently is from parachuting. Panic attack attested by 1970.

panic

n.2

type of grass, early 15c., from Old French panic "Italian millet," from Latin panicum "panic grass, kind of millet," from panus "ear of millet, a swelling" (cf. panocha).

panic

1827, "to afflict with panic," from panic (n.). Intransitive sense of "to lose one's head, get into a panic" is from 1902. Related: Panicked; panicking.

Medicine definitions for panicky

panic

[păn′ĭk]

n.

A sudden overpowering feeling of terror.

Related formspan′ic v.

Idioms and Phrases with panicky

panic

see push the panic button.