stampede

1 of 2

noun

stam·​pede (ˌ)stam-ˈpēd 

1

: a wild headlong rush or flight of frightened animals

2

: a mass movement of people at a common impulse

3

: an extended festival combining a rodeo with exhibitions, contests, and social events

stampede

2 of 2

verb

stampeded; stampeding

transitive verb

1

: to cause to run away in headlong panic

2

: to cause (a group or mass of people) to act on sudden or rash impulse

intransitive verb

1

: to flee headlong in panic

2

: to act on mass impulse

stampeder noun

Examples of stampede in a Sentence

Noun

a stampede to the exits

a stampede to buy the stock

a stampede of new applicants

Verb

People stampeded to the exits.

The gunshot stampeded the cattle.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The event was oversold, and thousands of people rushed the gymnasium doors, causing a stampede that left nine people dead, per CNN. —Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025

This time courtesy of star OLB Bonitto, who screamed off the edge, swatted away a Mariota pass on a game-winning two-point conversion attempt, and led a victory stampede of Broncos across the turf at Northwest Stadium. —Luca Evans, Denver Post, 1 Dec. 2025

Verb

Thinking about the bison’s recovery in different terms does not mean tens of millions of them need to be stampeding across the continent. —Benjamin Larue, The Conversation, 31 Oct. 2025

After Grande is seen walking down an aisle, the event appears to be disrupted by a group of stampeding animals. —Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

American Spanish estampida, from Spanish, crash, from estampar to stamp, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German stampfōn to stamp

First Known Use

Noun

1828, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1838, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for stampede

• accede
• agreed
• airspeed
• alkyd
• bindweed
• chickweed
• concede
• decreed
• duckweed
• exceed
• flaxseed
• impede

Kids Definition

stampede

1 of 2 noun

stam·​pede stam-ˈpēd 

1

: a wild rush or flight of frightened animals

2

: a sudden movement of a crowd of people

stampede

2 of 2 verb

stampeded; stampeding

1

: to run away or cause (as cattle) to run away in panic

2

: to act together or cause to act together suddenly and without thought

Etymology

Noun

from a word in the Spanish of Mexico and the American Southwest, estampida "stampede," from Spanish estampida "a crash, loud noise," from estamper "to pound, stamp"