1
: emotionally out of control
2
: marked by fast and nervous, disordered, or anxiety-driven activity
made a frantic search for the lost child
frantic cries for help
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 sudden disappearance of 3 cats from a rental home in Colorado earlier this year sparked a frantic search that culminated in a creepy discovery.
—
Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
Keira Knightley stars in the movie as Lo, in a frantic frowning mode reminiscent of her performance in Netflix’s spy thriller Black Doves.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
After a long summer and a frantic preseason, opening night is finally here for the 2025-26 Detroit Red Wings season.
—Max Bultman, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Extreme game features four different ways to play, including solo practice, a party mode and the frantic one-on-one challenge where two players battle it out.
—Nora Colomer
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frantic
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Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
Keira Knightley stars in the movie as Lo, in a frantic frowning mode reminiscent of her performance in Netflix’s spy thriller Black Doves.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
After a long summer and a frantic preseason, opening night is finally here for the 2025-26 Detroit Red Wings season.
—Max Bultman, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Extreme game features four different ways to play, including solo practice, a party mode and the frantic one-on-one challenge where two players battle it out.
—Nora Colomer
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 7 Oct. 2025
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 Oct. 2025.
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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