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
From the frantic frenzy surrounding royal nuptials to the way the internet dissected every possible clue from Zendaya and Tom Holland before they were revealed to have officially tied the knot, weddings like these are a cultural event.
—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
3 July 2026
On a remote Maine logging road, a couple out for a day of fishing unexpectedly encountered a black bear chasing a frantic moose calf toward their truck.
—
Kate Brumback,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
Instead of making frantic runs for burger buns, charcoal and ice-cold drinks, Walmart+ members can have all their summer cookout essentials dropped right at their door, often the same day, with no delivery fee on eligible orders.
—
Rachel Cortez,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
That is when a normal morning in Dayton, Ohio, turned into a frantic search.
—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for frantic
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Amanda Le,
InStyle,
3 July 2026
On a remote Maine logging road, a couple out for a day of fishing unexpectedly encountered a black bear chasing a frantic moose calf toward their truck.
—
Kate Brumback,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
Instead of making frantic runs for burger buns, charcoal and ice-cold drinks, Walmart+ members can have all their summer cookout essentials dropped right at their door, often the same day, with no delivery fee on eligible orders.
—
Rachel Cortez,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
That is when a normal morning in Dayton, Ohio, turned into a frantic search.
—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 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 6 Jul. 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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