panic attack

noun

Definition of panic attack

: an episode of intense fear or apprehension that is of sudden onset

Examples of panic attack in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

People around me were crying and having panic attacks. — Marie Claire, "A Year of Grieving and Healing at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School," 14 Feb. 2019 Abby Mosconi, 34, started suffering from regular panic attacks at her ad agency office and eventually quit. — Juliana Feliciano Reyes, Philly.com, "Why these young people quit jobs without anything else lined up," 9 May 2018 More intense reactions to situations could lead to panic attacks and anxiety attacks. — Elly Belle, Teen Vogue, "How to Cope With Stress," 1 Nov. 2018 The show also talks about unexpected pregnancy, panic attacks, and learning disorders. — Tamara Fuentes, Seventeen, "25 Amazing Disney Channel Shows That You Need to Binge ASAP," 8 Aug. 2018 In Season 4, when Ian has a flashback about his assault that triggers a panic attack, it’s Jamie who counsels him. — Wendy Naugle, Glamour, "What Outlander Finally Gets Right About Rape This Season," 7 Jan. 2019 Next stop: card-dealing robots that don’t give themselves panic attacks. — Matt Simon, WIRED, "Robots Can't Hold Stuff Very Well. But You Can Help," 13 July 2018 Jonah's panic attacks showed them that even the popular kid in school can experience anxiety. — Tamara Fuentes, Seventeen, "The Stars of "Andi Mack" Share All Their Favorite Moments from Season 2," 13 Aug. 2018 This abrupt awakening/panic attack often hits five years or so before retirement — and that can be a good thing, financial advisers agree. — Peter Finch, The Seattle Times, "Countdown to retirement: A 5-year plan," 10 Aug. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'panic attack.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

12 Mar 2019

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The first known use of panic attack was in 1966

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panic attack

noun

Medical Definition of panic attack

: an episode of intense fear or apprehension that is of sudden onset and may occur for no apparent reason or as a reaction to an identifiable triggering stimulus (as a stressful event) specifically : one that is accompanied by usually four or more bodily or cognitive symptoms (as heart palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath, or feelings of unreality) and that typically peaks within 10 minutes of onset