frantic

adjective

ˈfran-tik How to pronounce frantic (audio)
Definition of franticnext
1
as in agitated
feeling overwhelming fear or worry the frantic parents were searching all over the fairgrounds for their lost child

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in furious
marked by great and often stressful excitement or activity the holiday season seems to be moving along at a frantic pace

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of frantic Dallas Caton’s bass-heavy production lays the foundation for the frantic and propulsive record. — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2026 Over the course of one frantic, late-July weekend, 98 teens representing all 50 states put their busy lives on hold to try to do something remarkable. — Cory Turner, NPR, 30 July 2026 There is no frantic downshift, no strained exhaust note, and little sensation of mechanical effort. — Karl Brauer, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 What began as a frantic request for outside help and garage-style innovation has evolved into a manufacturing juggernaut, large enough to support the resistance and to sell to other nations. — Thomas Nagorski, Time, 27 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for frantic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frantic
  1. agitated
  2. furious
  3. distraught
  4. mad
  5. worried
  6. fierce
  7. frightened
  8. intense
Adjective
  • Sometimes, Brun appeared agitated or sweaty at council meetings.
    — Guthrie Scrimgeour, Rolling Stone, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Clancy became agitated, but never fully woke up once given the Narcan, which is typically used to treat heroin or fentanyl overdoes, Constanzo noted.
    — Andi Babineau, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
Definition of agitated
Adjective
  • Above a certain temperature, the system starts to work against itself; the furious beating of cilia uses up any oxygen the coral’s tissues can absorb, and then the polyps can suffocate in the less oxygenated water.
    — Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026
  • This Lusitania didn’t sink as a formal band played, but the ticking of each man’s pocket watch synchronized to form a furious percussion section, and all those wailing women’s voices layered into girl-group harmonies.
    — Claire Carusillo, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of furious
Adjective
  • Some jurors cried while others looked distraught during the testimony.
    — Kristina Rex, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Leaving the Door Open For More S Pen fans were distraught when Samsung removed support for its beloved stylus from the Z Fold 7 in 2025.
    — Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 22 July 2026
Definition of distraught
Adjective
  • There was also a stream of characters who visited the island, from a pop group to a movie producer, a mad scientist, and Russian cosmonauts.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Aug. 2026
  • There are a few pages spent on Deflategate (that made Brady mad), only a few paragraphs devoted to Aaron Hernandez, none on Spygate.
    — Darren Cooper, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of mad
Adjective
  • But Russian ballistic missiles appear to be the threat that has Ukrainian’s leadership most worried.
    — Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • As students head back to school across Georgia, some parents are worried about more than academics.
    — Brian Unger, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of worried
Adjective
  • Management tried to modernize a restaurant brand built around nostalgia, underestimated how strongly customers identified with its image, and eventually reversed the change after a fierce backlash.
    — Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The jostling grew particularly fierce between South Carolina and Nevada.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of fierce
Adjective
  • Use of QACs soared during the Covid-19 pandemic as frightened masses sanitized themselves and nearly everything else in sight.
    — Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Families were frightened, communities were looking for guidance, and clinicians were desperate for answers.
    — Ronald Nahass, STAT, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of frightened
Adjective
  • An unusually intense El Niño event is gathering strength in the tropical Pacific in a hurry.
    — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Thousands of Offers Nazareth University, located near Rochester, New York, is using direct admissions in part to reach those outside of the state where competition for students is particularly intense.
    — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of intense

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Cite this Entry

“Frantic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frantic. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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