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- pronunciation:
- pae
nihk
- parts of speech:
- noun, adjective, transitive verb, intransitive verb
- phrases:
- hit the panic button, press the panic button, push the panic button
- features:
- Word Combinations (noun, verb), Word History, Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition 1: |
a sudden, usu. irrational terror that often provokes wild behavior and spreads to many other individuals.
- similar words:
- alarm, consternation, fear, hysteria, scare, terror
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| definition 2: |
in financial affairs, a wave of fear and the widespread selling or buying in the stock market that it provokes.
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| definition 3: |
(informal) a person or thing considered to be wildly humorous.
- synonyms:
- riot, scream
- similar words:
- clown
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| related words: |
dismay, dread, fright, horror, lather, laugh, trepidation |
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| part of speech: |
adjective |
| definition: |
of, concerning, or caused by sudden overwhelming fear.
a panic reaction to bad news- antonyms:
- calm
- similar words:
- hysterical, panic-stricken, terror-stricken
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| phrase: |
hit the panic button, press the panic button, push the panic button |
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| part of speech: |
transitive verb |
| inflections: |
panics, panicking, panicked |
| definition: |
to cause sudden overwhelming fear in.
The helicopter panicked the herd of antelope.- synonyms:
- terrify
- similar words:
- alarm, frighten, scare, spook, stampede
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| related words: |
chill, dismay |
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| part of speech: |
intransitive verb |
| definition: |
to be afflicted or overcome by panic.
She panics whenever she has to give a speech.
- synonyms:
- go to pieces
- similar words:
- choke
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| related words: |
fear |
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| derivation: |
panicky (adj.) |
Our word panic comes from Pan, the name of the Greek god of woods and shepherds. Pan was believed to be the cause of sudden, wild fear that could not otherwise be explained.
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