panic-stricken

adjective

pan·​ic-strick·​en ˈpa-nik-ˌstri-kən How to pronounce panic-stricken (audio)
: overcome with panic

Examples of panic-stricken 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.
For the first time in his life, the great shark couldn’t swim freely and, panic-stricken, bolted clear of his world and there was only emptiness, and his tail and pectoral fins were helpless in the void. Pat Smith, Outdoor Life, 24 July 2025 That afternoon, another detainee called her with a message that left her panic-stricken: Her son, 25-year-old Yoiker David Sequera, had been taken away to a notorious offshore prison. Lauren Villagran, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025 These are not the first crew members to be panic-stricken by a stray rat today. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 12 May 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1766, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of panic-stricken was in 1766

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

panic-stricken

adjective
pan·​ic-strick·​en
ˈpan-ik-ˌstrik-ən
: overcome with panic

More from Merriam-Webster on panic-stricken

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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