freak out
Britishverb
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Experience or cause to experience hallucinations, paranoia, or other frightening feelings as a result of taking a mind-altering drug. For example, They were freaking out on LSD or some other drug . [ Slang ; mid-1960s]
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Behave or cause to behave irrationally and uncontrollably, with enthusiasm, excitement, fear, or madness. For example, The band's wild playing made the audience freak out , or It was such a close accident, it really freaked me out , or She freaked out and ended up in the psychiatric ward . [ Slang ; 1960s] Also see flip one's lid ; wig out .
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.
Sometimes, investors freak out when a company makes a deal.
From Barron's • Dec. 8, 2025
But as much as people freak out over Mamdani’s modest proposal of building a few government-run grocery stores, this conflict is not about policy.
From Salon • Nov. 3, 2025
“There’s a pumpkin that people freak out about, these things from Colorado, we call them ‘Phat Jacks’—the stems are super thick and grow all crazy,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 26, 2025
David and Sarah don’t want to freak out their parents, so they have to act like nothing weird is going on, allowing these scenes to have interesting, unexplored levels.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 19, 2025
It’s tiny and brown and in a bad position, and Jason begins to freak out.
From "Liar & Spy" by Rebecca Stead
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.
