panic
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.
was panicking
-
past progressiveof panic.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
His tone remained polite, but he was panicking.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
The accused said he was "panicking and just scared".
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
"I was panicking and worrying on what to do which gave me no choice but to address it. The thought of upsetting people and letting you the fans down has hit me hard today."
From BBC ● May 23, 2025
She was panicking because she was aware, even at her tender age, that she was “poor and shall stand in need of something to gain support.”
From Slate ● Nov. 20, 2024
I thought she was panicking, changing her mind about seeing the cells.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
