stampede

[ stam-peed ]

noun

1. a sudden, frenzied rush or headlong flight of a herd of frightened animals, especially cattle or horses.
2. any headlong general flight or rush.
3. Western U.S., Canada. a celebration, usually held annually, combining a rodeo, contests, exhibitions, dancing, etc.

verb (used without object)

, stam·ped·ed, stam·ped·ing.

1. to scatter or flee in a stampede:

   People stampeded from the burning theater.

2. to make a general rush:

   On hearing of the sale, they stampeded to the store.

verb (used with object)

, stam·ped·ed, stam·ped·ing.

1. to cause to stampede.
2. to rush or overrun (a place):

   Customers stampeded the stores.

stampede

/ stæmˈpiːd /

noun

1. an impulsive headlong rush of startled cattle or horses
2. headlong rush of a crowd

   a stampede of shoppers

3. any sudden large-scale movement or other action, such as a rush of people to support a candidate
4. a rodeo event featuring fairground and social elements

verb

1. to run away or cause to run away in a stampede

Derived Forms

• stamˈpeder, noun

Other Words From

• stam·peder noun
• unstam·peded adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of stampede¹

An Americanism first recorded in 1815–25; from Spanish estampida, equivalent to estamp(ar) “to stamp” + -ida noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of stampede¹

C19: from American Spanish estampida , from Spanish: a din, from estampar to stamp, of Germanic origin; see stamp

Example Sentences

He has firsthand experience with the groups marshaling these ugly stampedes.

From Washington Post

More than 70 people are dead, shopping malls have been burned to the ground, cargo trucks torched, highways blocked, and there have been running street battles and stampedes in which fleeing looters were crushed to death.

From Ozy

She caused a stampede of 1,500 male students when she appeared at the University of Colorado.

From Washington Post

We still have stampedes, and still can’t get out of enclosed spaces properly.

From Nautilus

Since 2009, there have been fatal stadium stampedes in Morocco, Cote d’Ivoire, Bangkok, and Egypt.

From Nautilus

They are unleashed into the narrow streets of old Pamplona and forced to stampede, pursued by crazy guys in red scarfs.

From The Daily Beast

There was no instruction, no direction—there was an overwhelming stampede and hysteria.

From The Daily Beast

To prevent a stampede, U.S. soldiers shot tear gas into the crowd as they withdrew.

From The Daily Beast

Police say he continued to stab and slash as he returned to the hallway, causing other students to stampede away from him.

From The Daily Beast

The idea is to stampede others into pledging their money, too.

From The Daily Beast

Who can explain the sixth sense that warns a night-herder of a stampede a moment before the herd jumps off the bed-ground?

From Project Gutenberg

From four to five o'clock there is a general stampede towards the railway stations.

From Project Gutenberg

Not enough, perhaps, to start a stampede with—but enough to keep wise old hermits burrowing after it.

From Project Gutenberg

Their main object so far was undoubtedly to frighten the mules into a stampede and thus separate the wagons.

From Project Gutenberg

There was no checking the frantic stampede which from this moment thundered with constantly increasing speed across the plain.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• panic