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.
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.
to affect with panic; terrify and cause to flee or lose self-control.
Slang. to keep (an audience or the like) highly amused.
Also called panic grass. any grass of the genus Panicum, many species of which bear edible grain.
the grain.
a sudden overwhelming feeling of terror or anxiety, esp one affecting a whole group of people
(modifier) of or resulting from such terror
panic measures
See terror.
First recorded in 1580–90; earlier panique, from French, from Greek Panikós “of Pan”; see Pan, -ic
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English panik, from Latin pānicum “Italian millet”
To panic is to become filled with fear and anxiety. Someone in a panic is totally freaking out. Have you ever heard someone say "Don't panic"? That's easier said than done. People panic when they lose control over themselves because of fear, stress, or danger. A pilot who runs into turbulence and then flees from the cockpit has panicked. A surgeon who makes a mistake might panic for a second, before chilling out and helping the patient. It's hard to do a good job when you panic. Panicking is pretty much the opposite of relaxing.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Footage has emerged on social media showing screaming crowds fleeing the grounds in panic.
From BBC • May 7, 2026
Eventually, I got it to work on my phone, but it was such a panic and I could hardly see anything, I just threw things in my cart and hoped for the best.
From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026
I started delaying telling friends and family my results until I’d fully come down from the fight-or-flight panic of testing week.
From Slate • May 6, 2026
Every time he barrels to the floor, it will be a Philadelphia panic.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026
Twice they had fallen asleep and woken in the darkness, crying out to each other in panic.
From "Rowan of Rin" by Emily Rodda
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
