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

Another caller, this one confused and frantic, explained that their cabins were flooding while terrified voices and screams echoed in the background. —Amanda Jackson, CNN Money, 5 Dec. 2025

Passages in which a lower frame rate makes the image jittery portray the frantic rush of emotion that the two are overtaken by now that fate has reunited them. —Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 4 Dec. 2025

No more frantic suitcase repacking at the airport or paying ridiculous overweight baggage fees. —Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 3 Dec. 2025

The opera begins with a kinetic, frantic prelude in the form of a paso doble, the quick march often heard at bullfights. —Alex Ross, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025

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