frantically

adverb

fran·​ti·​cal·​ly ˈfran-ti-k(ə-)lē 

: in a frantic manner : in a nervously hurried, desperate, or panic-stricken way

[Carlton] Fisk stood several feet down the line, frantically urging the ball fair with his hands. It hit the yellow foul pole above the wall, a home run.

—Ron Fimrite

Wine companies, fearing that younger drinkers are slipping out of their grasp, have been frantically trying to create products that will be viewed as edgy, hip and fun.

—Mitch Frank

During the new moon, a hatch of baby sea turtles erupts from the sand, struggling frantically to get to the ocean.

—Bernice Notenboom

Synonyms

• amok
• amuck
• berserk
• berserkly
• frenetically
• frenziedly
• harum-scarum
• hectically
• helter-skelter
• madly
• pell-mell
• wild
• wildly

Examples of frantically in a Sentence

the veterinarian ran frantically from room to room looking for the escaped hamster

Recent Examples on the Web

Stepping up in Biden World right now looks a lot like frantically scooping water out of a sinking ship. —Philip Elliott, TIME, 11 July 2024

To prove her innocence, Morgan must frantically retrace the last days of Nicole’s life. —K.j. Yossman, Variety, 11 July 2024

David prays, frantically, as Tyler points the weapon at his sleeping daughter. —Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 11 July 2024

But, in the minutes before Freestone arrived, Deputy Jesus Rojas-Burgos, other deputies and several Monroe County Fire Rescue paramedics were frantically trying to get the people off the boat and onto the bridge, which connects Little Torch Key to Big Pine Key. —David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 9 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1739, in the meaning defined above