frantic

adjective

fran·​tic ˈfran-tik 

1

: 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

3

archaic : mentally unsound

franticness

ˈfran-tik-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• agitated
• delirious
• distracted
• distrait
• distraught
• frenzied
• hysterical
• hysteric

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

The pair embark on a playdate at a beachfront promenade before holing up in a foreign hotel to evade an increasingly frantic Lee. —Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 15 May 2025

What followed was a frantic scramble to get the wounded to the nearest hospital. —Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 14 May 2025

An unintended micro-system is born: vague ping, frantic fix, zero boundaries. —Melissa Daimler, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025

Seemingly frantic to avoid having its actions subjected to scrutiny, the Trump White House is now weighing whether to trigger a constitutional earthquake. —Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 12 May 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