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 Through rapid-fire verbal repartee, constant close-ups, and frantic cuts, Deramas treads a careful line between tragedy and comedy, the latter a psychological weapon against the former. — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2026 That ominous focus runs beneath the trailer, beneath the guns, frantic confrontations, cars, and glimpses of a family suddenly forced to look over its shoulder. — Sophie Miller, Rolling Stone, 10 Aug. 2026 His grandmother's frantic cleaning ahead of Passover, Hallegua’s favorite season. — ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026 The heist goes wrong when one sister injures her back and ends up trapped on the second floor, setting off an increasingly frantic bid to get out before the homeowner comes home. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Aug. 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
  • For the agitated activist—Mike Davis’ Late Victorian Holocausts with Equator.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Sometimes, Brun appeared agitated or sweaty at council meetings.
    — Guthrie Scrimgeour, Rolling Stone, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of agitated
Adjective
  • Ocasio-Cortez’s choice to share her egg-freezing publicly has kicked off furious debate and confused hand-wringing among conservatives.
    — Anna Russell, New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2026
  • One man was quick enough to grab his ankle and let out a firm objection, but the foot slipped free from the boot and the houndsman was gone into the tight tunnel full of frantic dogs and furious bear.
    — Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of furious
Adjective
  • But today’s Court often divides along stark ideological lines, and the liberals often sound truly distraught in their dissents.
    — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • One distraught woman sat on the ground next to a large pool of blood as another woman embraced her.
    — John Annese, New York Daily News, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of distraught
Adjective
  • Frequent zoom-ins shown on screens showed sweat dripping down his face, and his hair resembled something similar to a mad scientist after an experiment blows up in their face.
    — Joseph Hernandez August 13, Kansas City Star, 13 Aug. 2026
  • These statements and actions, some conservatives said at the time in a finger-wagging tone, demonstrated that mass suicide at the feet of a power-mad dictator was the predictable result of radical left-wing politics.
    — James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of mad
Adjective
  • Truth is, Westside Cowboy — all of whom are in their early to mid-twenties — are just as worried about it all as anyone else.
    — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Buyers were interested but worried about the optics of a show revolving around two wealthy, gallivanting white guys.
    — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of worried
Adjective
  • The scores carry over, promising a fierce battle for the national title, with Rivera aiming for multiple championships.
    — Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The diggers than turned to keeping themselves and two injured skiers alive amid the fierce blizzard.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of fierce
Adjective
  • Officers initially discovered more than 30 cats and kittens living in unsafe conditions aboard the vessel, with many appearing frightened and malnourished.
    — Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Think of yourself as the captain of your ship versus one frightened passenger, the conductor instead of one instrument in the orchestra or the CEO rather than one anxious shareholder in the boardroom.
    — Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of frightened
Adjective
  • These could include intense earthquake swarms, rapid ground deformation, changing gas emissions, and unusual heat flow.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Footage aired by local media showed massive flames and fireballs erupting from the tank, with black and orange smoke rising in the sky as firefighters spray what appears to be foam or water in efforts to quench the intense fire.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 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 17 Aug. 2026.

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