frantic

adjective fran·tic \ ˈfran-tik \

Definition of frantic

1 a archaic :mentally deranged

b :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

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frantically

play \ˈfran-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

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franticness

play \ˈfran-tik-nəs\ noun

See frantic defined for English-language learners

See frantic defined for kids

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 of frantic from the Web

A pulsating first half which was frantic from the first minute to the last; Paulo Dybala rescued the Bianconeri with a first half brace after falling two goals behind after an incredible first five minutes of the match.

— SI.com, "Genoa 2-4 Juventus: Paolo Dybala Stars Again as Juve Come Back From Two Down to Win 6 Goal Thriller," 26 Aug. 2017
The old charm, in truth, still survives in the town, despite the frantic efforts of boosters and boomers.

— david amsden, Smithsonian, "How Baltimore Quietly Became the East Coast’s Next Cool City," 31 July 2017
In the frantic race to establish ever-earlier recruiting inroads, Finney is the pint-sized embodiment of college football’s progressively premature extrapolation.

— tim sullivan, The Courier-Journal, "Can a 9-year-old be an NCAA Division I college football prospect?," 27 July 2017
Despite the frantic political activity in Westminster—the briefing, back-stabbing and plotting—the country has made remarkably little progress since the referendum in deciding what form Brexit should take.

— The Economist, "Britain faces up to Brexit," 22 July 2017
Here are the guests at the Red Wedding, signing up to attend an event at which they will be shot with crossbows and stabbed a hundred times and crushed under the hoofs of frantic horses.

— rosa lyster, The Cut, "Why Weddings in Books Are Always Terrible," 20 July 2017
Birds, it’s been reported, become frantic in advance of the encroaching darkness and then, eerily, turn quiet.

— eric adler, kansascity, "Why the mania over August’s solar eclipse? There hasn’t been one like it since 1778.," 14 July 2017
Harford County Sheriff's deputies responded to the 900 block of Top View Drive in Edgewood on Dec. 29, 2015 around 10 p.m, within minutes of a frantic 911 call by the victim's sister.

— staff report, The Aegis, "Two men sentenced in attempted murder in December 2015," 11 July 2017
As she’s bombarded with kids’ frantic questions, Bennett is Yoda, calmly dispensing knowledge.

— erik himmelsbach-weinstein, Los Angeles Magazine, "This Valley Middle School Has One of the Best Film Programs in the Country," 10 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'frantic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.