panic button

noun

: something setting off a precipitous emergency response
there was no pushing of panic buttons at the White House, no rushing of troopsJ. C. Harsch

Examples of panic button in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
General manager Morgan Tuck didn’t foresee the squad entering the second half of the season with just three wins, but the former UConn star said no one is hitting the panic button inside the building. Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 23 July 2025 The New York Yankees were handed a series loss by the rival Boston Red Sox on Sunday, though there's no need to hit the panic button. Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025 The group planned to install a panic button inside the bodega Wednesday so workers can immediately alert police if further violence breaks out again. Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 18 June 2025 Number one, for those who actually have the panic buttons and the direct communication to the police. Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for panic button

Word History

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of panic button was in 1900

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Panic button.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/panic%20button. Accessed 27 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!