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.
As a woman in her early 60s with diabetes and a history of stress-induced asthma, the early months of the pandemic were peaks of panic and exhaustion for every 12-hour shift my mother put on the clock.