panic

1
[ pan-ik ]
See synonyms for panic on Thesaurus.com
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.

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

  1. 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.

  2. Slang. someone or something that is considered hilariously funny: The comedian was an absolute panic.

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.

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

verb (used with object),pan·icked, pan·ick·ing.
  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),pan·icked, pan·ick·ing.
  1. to be stricken with panic; become frantic with fear: The herd panicked and stampeded.

Origin of panic

1
First recorded in 1580–90; earlier panique, from French, from Greek Panikós “of Pan”; see Pan, -ic

synonym study For panic

1. See terror.

Other words for panic

Other words from panic

  • pan·ick·y, adjective
  • un·pan·ick·y, adjective

Words Nearby panic

Other definitions for panic (2 of 2)

panic2
[ pan-ik ]

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

  2. the grain.

Origin of panic

2
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English panik, from Latin pānicum “Italian millet”

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use panic in a sentence

  • We stood staring after the fugitives in perfect bewilderment, totally unable to explain their apparently causeless panic.

  • Two artillery subalterns who had fought their way through a mob stricken with panic for the moment, soon arrived.

    The Red Year | Louis Tracy
  • He was naturally frightfully upset about it, and a regular panic sprang up in the neighbourhood.

    Uncanny Tales | Various
  • She should not show panic because of the mysterious noise in the loft of the abandoned Carter house.

  • General Wheatonʼs brigade captured Malinta, and the insurgents fled panic-stricken after having suffered severely.

    The Philippine Islands | John Foreman

British Dictionary definitions for panic (1 of 2)

panic

/ (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

verb-ics, -icking or -icked
  1. to feel or cause to feel panic

Origin of panic

1
C17: from French panique, from New Latin pānicus, from Greek panikos emanating from Pan, considered as the source of irrational fear

Derived forms of panic

  • panicky, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for Panic (2 of 2)

Panic

/ (ˈpænɪk) /


adjective
  1. of or relating to the god Pan

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with panic

panic

see push the panic button.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.