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.
Within a few short weeks, an ongoing outbreak of Cyclospora, a foodborne parasite that can contaminate raw fruits and vegetables — and lead to several unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms — has fueled a nationwide panic.
From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2026
They described dealing with panic attacks, anxiety, depression, gastrointestinal disorders and other stress-related illnesses.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
This carries on until the occasional, inevitable reckoning, when the same chimpanzees all panic and try to sell at the same time.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
Trading on the benchmark index has been halted seven times this year in a bid to calm panic selling after it fell by 8%.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
I felt both pride and panic as Ma nodded briskly.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
"The Kimi Panic needs to stop," said David Sacks, the White House's former chief on AI policy, who still has the president's ear.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
Panic surged, and many fans found themselves packed together with no clear escape.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026
Yet even as tracks crisscrossed the nation, the bubble burst several times, the worst causing the Panic of 1873 and throwing the nation into depression.
From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026
Interest rates went as high as 4% a day, in what became known as the Panic of 1884.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
Panic swelled inside him once again, almost too much to bear.
From "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner
While they fight over custody she panics and plans to run away with Nino.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Until the railroad boom of the 18th century’s second half, the U.S. was actually lagging the U.K., owing to major panics in 1819 and 1837.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 3, 2026
She panics briefly, then gathers herself and finds her confidence.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026
Throughout the 1800s and early 1900s, the federal government stepped in repeatedly during banking panics to stabilize the system.
From Salon ● Apr. 28, 2026
If she panics, she’ll forget to hold on.
From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret
Olga Congacha, 50, who had to flee her village of Robledo de Chavela west of Madrid with hastily grabbed documents and clothes, told AFP she felt "panicked" when told to leave her home.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
Thursday, panicked, urging him to get his car out of the underground garage because of the flooding.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026
The coroner also heard how the first two officers on the scene "panicked" and failed to provide any form of basic life support.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
After the loss of Fort Washington, the Continental Army beat a panicked retreat from Fort Lee south through New Jersey, across the Delaware River and into Pennsylvania.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
As soon as I saw the green uniform, I panicked.
From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez
Wary of not panicking, Kerry reeled off the next four scores to pull within one but their hopes were kept alive by goalkeeper Shane Murphy, who tipped Kobe McDonald's goal-bound shot over the bar.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
“There was a salt era, where people were panicking about sodium content,” Lev Sercarz said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
French technology group 2CRSi’s stock tumbled more than 40% after accusations from a New York–based short seller — panicking retail investors in France, who sold other unrelated companies in the space.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 18, 2026
Even if the market hasn’t crashed, this multi-week decline shows persistent selling pressure, not just a one-time shock, as investors gradually de-risk rather than panicking all at once.
From Salon ● Apr. 1, 2026
As Agatha Swanburne said, “No panicking, no complaining, no quitting”—six words to the wise that are well worth learning, and following.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
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.