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

Chanel doesn’t take pre-orders, so collection launches are typically frantic, as clients swoop down on previews to secure the best pieces. — Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026

Behind Katz’s command of the offense and a defense that repeatedly created problems for Norland, the Titans built a three-touchdown advantage and survived a frantic fourth-quarter comeback to defeat the Vikings 38-31 and improve to 3-3. — D’joumbarey Moreau, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2026

That night in the newsroom — the tossing of stories and the frantic creation of new ones — was a first sign of the confusion and the chaos that would come to characterize American elections for the next decade. — Henry Leutwyler, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026

Prosecutors say Flynn staged a home invasion to mislead investigators and claimed in a frantic 911 call that a burglar had shot his wife. — CBS News, 29 Sep. 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