panic

[ pan-ik ]

/ ˈpæn ɪk /

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See synonyms for: panic / panicked / panicking / panicky 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.

Panic, 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.

OTHER WORDS FOR panic

1 alarm, fear.

See synonyms for panic on Thesaurus.com

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of panic

First recorded in 1580–90; earlier panique, from French, from Greek Panikós “of Pan”; see Pan, -ic

synonym study for panic

1. See terror.

OTHER WORDS FROM panic

pan·ick·y, adjectiveun·pan·ick·y, adjective

Other definitions for panic (2 of 2)

panic²

[ pan-ik ]

/ ˈpæn ɪk /

noun

Also called panic grass . any grass of the genus Panicum, many species of which bear edible grain.

the grain.

Origin of panic

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English panik, from Latin pānicum “Italian millet”

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use panic in a sentence

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.
The Meaning of Chuseok During a Pandemic Year|Nina Yun|October 9, 2020|Eater
Don’t panic, though—there are still plenty of other things you can do.
These public speaking techniques can help you look smart on video calls|Sandra Gutierrez G.|October 6, 2020|Popular-Science
The Houstons, both in their early sixties, were not the kind of people to panic in the face of an emergency.
The Future of Wildfire Fighting Is on All of Us|Stephanie May Joyce|October 5, 2020|Outside Online
When the boy saw his former teacher, he panicked and ran away.
The Students Left Behind by Remote Learning|by Alec MacGillis|September 28, 2020|ProPublica

Oh, and she never ever panics after a stock market meltdown.
Buffett’s big bet on Japan sends global stocks higher|Bernhard Warner|August 31, 2020|Fortune
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|DAILY BEAST
“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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
There is also no reason for a panicky Islamophobic response.
What Pakistan's Terrorists Want|Bruce Riedel|May 4, 2010|DAILY BEAST
People get panicky, they're afraid to stay the course, so they start selling.
Interview With Edmund Phelps|The Daily Beast|July 13, 2009|DAILY BEAST
He turned quickly and made off into the woods, followed by a loud, daunting laugh which spurred his pace to a panicky gallop.
The Backwoodsmen|Charles G. D. Roberts
She had an instant of hesitation, of an almost panicky desire to go back and repair her folly, ere it was too late.
The Dwelling Place of Light, Complete|Winston Churchill
What was coming in was uniformly excited, some panicky, and all in fairly standard Lingua Terra.
Space Viking|Henry Beam Piper
She had a drooping Southern accent, and a manner which fluctuated between arch audacity and fits of panicky hauteur.
Tales Of Men And Ghosts|Edith Wharton
But, if you can collect and arrange your gray brain matter, and suppress all panicky feeling, it is easily got along with.
Woodcraft and Camping|George Washington Sears (Nessmuk)

British Dictionary definitions for panic (1 of 2)

panic

/ (ˈpænɪk) /

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 forms of panic

panicky, 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

British Dictionary definitions for panic (2 of 2)

Panic

/ (ˈpænɪk) /

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with panic

panic

see push the panic button.

panic

OTHER WORDS FOR panic

Origin of panic

synonym study for panic

OTHER WORDS FROM panic

Other definitions for panic (2 of 2)

Origin of panic

Words related to panic

How to use panic in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for panic (1 of 2)

Derived forms of panic

Word Origin for panic

British Dictionary definitions for panic (2 of 2)

Other Idioms and Phrases with panic