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.
In May, Mayor Adams and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced the city would install panic buttons linked to the NYPD in about 500 bodegas across the five boroughs. Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2025 The wearable panic buttons allow school personnel to alert authorities in emergency scenarios with a push of a button. Edward McKinnon, Arkansas Online, 23 May 2025 With training camp around the corner, no panic buttons have been pushed. Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 July 2025 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 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

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Cite this Entry

“Panic button.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/panic%20button. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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