panic

¹ American  

[pan-ik] / ˈpæn ɪk /

noun

1. 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.

   Synonyms:

   fear, alarm

2. an instance, outbreak, or period of such fear.

3. 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.

4. Slang. someone or something that is considered hilariously funny.

   The comedian was an absolute panic.

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adjective

1. of the nature of, caused by, or indicating panic.

   A wave of panic buying shook the stock market.

2. (of fear, terror, etc.) suddenly destroying the self-control and impelling to some frantic action.

3. Panic, of or relating to the god Pan.

verb (used with object)

panicked, panicking

1. to affect with panic; terrify and cause to flee or lose self-control.

2. Slang. to keep (an audience or the like) highly amused.

verb (used without object)

panicked, panicking

1. to be stricken with panic; become frantic with fear.

   The herd panicked and stampeded.

panic ² American  

[pan-ik] / ˈpæn ɪk /

noun

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

2. the grain.

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panic ¹ British  

/ ˈpænɪk /

noun

1. a sudden overwhelming feeling of terror or anxiety, esp one affecting a whole group of people

2. (modifier) of or resulting from such terror

   panic measures

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verb

1. to feel or cause to feel panic

Panic ² British  

/ ˈpænɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to the god Pan

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panic Idioms  

1. see push the panic button.

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Related Words

See terror.

Other Word Forms

• panicky adjective
• unpanicky adjective

Etymology

Origin of panic¹

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

Origin of panic²

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

Explanation

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.

Example Sentences

If "the price of oil is going up, inflation is going up and the stock market's going down, he's going to start to panic," he said.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

Mandy said she began to panic when she was under the water, but then started to experience a "surreal calm."

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

Television footage showed ambulances outside the school in the Siverek district as students fled in panic.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

In the past few years, asset managers started chasing retail funding — with some funds becoming reliant on individual investors, who are more susceptible to panic.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026

I was so small, no one would notice me—as long as I didn’t panic.

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

Related Words

• alarm
• confusion
• consternation
• dismay
• dread
• fear
• frenzy
• horror
• hysteria
• rush
• scare
• stampede
• terror
• trepidation