frantic

adjective

fran·​tic ˈfran-tik 

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

franticness

ˈfran-tik-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of frantic

• agitated
• distraught
• worried
• frightened

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

His grandmother's frantic cleaning ahead of Passover, Hallegua’s favorite season. — ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026

The heist goes wrong when one sister injures her back and ends up trapped on the second floor, setting off an increasingly frantic bid to get out before the homeowner comes home. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026

Across the living surface of coral, a frantic dance of survival takes place, invisible to our eyes and unknown to science before 2014. — Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026

This could give divers a simple way to communicate status information without speaking, writing, or frantic underwater charades. — New Atlas, 4 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English frenetik, frentik, frantike "temporarily deranged, delirious" — more at frenetic

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for frantic

• antic
• atlantic
• gigantic
• pedantic
• romantic
• semantic
• vedantic
• transatlantic
• unromantic

Kids 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

frantically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

franticly

-i-klē

adverb