push/hit/press the panic button
idiom
: to become extremely afraid or nervous when something bad happens or might happen
Medical officials says there is no need to push the panic button over two isolated cases of the disease.
Examples of push/hit/press the panic button in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
India skipper Rohit Sharma is not one to press the panic button.
—
Tim Ellis, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024
But should those clubs hit the panic button now, or give their coaching teams more time?
—Steve Price, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
Politicians, party hacks, and fat-cat donors hit the panic button and put the screws to Biden to compel him to drop out of the race.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 22 July 2024
Nigeria’s swerve toward insecurity has prompted even sober and well-respected analysts to press the panic button.
—Fola Aina, Foreign Affairs, 5 May 2021
But Peter Vermes is clearly not ready to press the panic button.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2024
For now, overall crypto prices are stable, and there is no reason to hit the panic button.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune Crypto, 7 Aug. 2023
No worries Despite the loss, Monday night’s loss to Kansas is no reason for Texas fans to hit the panic button.
—Dallas News, 6 Feb. 2023
At worst, they might be tempted to hit the panic button full throttle.
—Natasha Miller, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2022
Tim Ellis, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024
But should those clubs hit the panic button now, or give their coaching teams more time?
—Steve Price, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
Politicians, party hacks, and fat-cat donors hit the panic button and put the screws to Biden to compel him to drop out of the race.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 22 July 2024
Nigeria’s swerve toward insecurity has prompted even sober and well-respected analysts to press the panic button.
—Fola Aina, Foreign Affairs, 5 May 2021
But Peter Vermes is clearly not ready to press the panic button.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2024
For now, overall crypto prices are stable, and there is no reason to hit the panic button.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune Crypto, 7 Aug. 2023
No worries Despite the loss, Monday night’s loss to Kansas is no reason for Texas fans to hit the panic button.
—Dallas News, 6 Feb. 2023
At worst, they might be tempted to hit the panic button full throttle.
—Natasha Miller, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'push/hit/press the panic button.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near push/hit/press the panic button
Cite this Entry
“Push/hit/press the panic button.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/push%2Fhit%2Fpress%20the%20panic%20button. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
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