1
: emotionally out of control
especially
: feeling or showing fear or anxiety
was frantic while waiting for news
frantic cries for help
a frantic search for the lost child
2
: marked by fast and nervous, disordered, or anxiety-driven activity
making frantic party preparations
3
archaic
: mentally unsound
Examples of frantic in a Sentence
The girl was frantic with fear.
They made a frantic search for the missing child.
They were making frantic preparations for the party.
a frantic attempt to finish on schedule
Recent Examples on the Web
The burgundy and blue showed up with the same lineup as Monday night in Minnesota and looked completely different until an active second period and frantic final four minutes in the third to tie the score after an icing call created a margin for a comeback.
—
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 14 May 2026
This week, The Athletic is putting the focus on what promises to be another frantic summer transfer window for Liverpool.
—Gregg Evans, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Smith, a white woman, initially told police that she had been carjacked by a Black man, sparking a frantic search that lasted 12 days.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 12 May 2026
Ajay Mitchell scored 10 of his 28 points in the frantic final period as the Thunder overcame the Lakers' tenacious effort and improved to 8-0 in the playoffs with their toughest victory of the postseason.
—ABC News, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for frantic
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Troy Renck, Denver Post, 14 May 2026
This week, The Athletic is putting the focus on what promises to be another frantic summer transfer window for Liverpool.
—Gregg Evans, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Smith, a white woman, initially told police that she had been carjacked by a Black man, sparking a frantic search that lasted 12 days.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 12 May 2026
Ajay Mitchell scored 10 of his 28 points in the frantic final period as the Thunder overcame the Lakers' tenacious effort and improved to 8-0 in the playoffs with their toughest victory of the postseason.
—ABC News, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for frantic
Cite this Entry
“Frantic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frantic. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
frantic
adjective
fran·tic
ˈfrant-ik 
1
: wildly excited
frantic cries for help
was frantic with fear
2
: marked by wild and hurried activity
a frantic search for the missing child
franticly
adverb
-i-klē
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