panic button
noun
: something setting off a precipitous emergency response
There was no pushing of panic buttons at the White House, no rushing of troops.—
J. C. Harsch
J. C. HarschExamples of panic button in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Heupel also pushed the panic button a bit on defense by firing defensive coordinator Tim Banks and bringing in Jim Knowles.
—Seth Emerson, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2026
The eight-piece system includes a base station, a keypad for arming and disarming your system, a motion detector, a panic button, and four entry sensors that can be placed on doors and windows.
—PC Magazine, 1 Dec. 2025
Loomer keeps a panic button, which automatically dials 911, in the studio, and in every other room in the house.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
Tennessee public school teachers and staff may see new state funding to implement wearable, silent panic buttons to communicate swiftly and clearly during emergencies.
—Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for panic button
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Seth Emerson, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2026
The eight-piece system includes a base station, a keypad for arming and disarming your system, a motion detector, a panic button, and four entry sensors that can be placed on doors and windows.
—PC Magazine, 1 Dec. 2025
Loomer keeps a panic button, which automatically dials 911, in the studio, and in every other room in the house.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
Tennessee public school teachers and staff may see new state funding to implement wearable, silent panic buttons to communicate swiftly and clearly during emergencies.
—Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for panic button
Cite this Entry
“Panic button.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/panic%20button. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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