1
as in to bother
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
don't talk about death, as it totally freaks me out
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to lose it
to yield to mental or emotional stress
the landlady totally freaked out when she saw the dead body in the hall
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in meltdown
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of freak (out)
Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Her freak-out about a single missing shower cap is the spark that kicks off a surprisingly beautiful story about welcoming change, whether that means accepting fluctuations in the hotel’s amenities or letting a family of alien tanuki crash in the place.
—Kambole Campbell, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2025
John Hollinger looks at the Western Conference teams who might already be in freak-out mode.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 13 Nov. 2025
After Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic primary this summer, some high-end real-estate brokers confessed to having something of a freak-out.
—Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 30 Oct. 2025
But that possibility is literally dynamited in a vision Daria has of the home abruptly blown to smithereens, the destruction replayed in slo-mo to the crashing squeals of early Pink Floyd, itself a collapse of psychedelic rock’s utopian ideals into acid-casualty freak-out.
—Jake Cole, IndieWire, 18 Aug. 2025
The dog remained unfazed during Fowler's minor freak-out.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Oasis’s last tour, in 2008, was riven by fights, freak-outs, and sibling rivalry.
—Air Mail, 7 June 2025
What follows is a melee of pratfalls and freak-outs, a guffaw-worthy display by such a fine group of actors.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 21 May 2025
Noun
Somebody, the woman had just a little bit of a freak-out for lack of a better term.
—Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Her freak-out about a single missing shower cap is the spark that kicks off a surprisingly beautiful story about welcoming change, whether that means accepting fluctuations in the hotel’s amenities or letting a family of alien tanuki crash in the place.
—Kambole Campbell, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2025
John Hollinger looks at the Western Conference teams who might already be in freak-out mode.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 13 Nov. 2025
After Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic primary this summer, some high-end real-estate brokers confessed to having something of a freak-out.
—Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 30 Oct. 2025
But that possibility is literally dynamited in a vision Daria has of the home abruptly blown to smithereens, the destruction replayed in slo-mo to the crashing squeals of early Pink Floyd, itself a collapse of psychedelic rock’s utopian ideals into acid-casualty freak-out.
—Jake Cole, IndieWire, 18 Aug. 2025
The dog remained unfazed during Fowler's minor freak-out.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Oasis’s last tour, in 2008, was riven by fights, freak-outs, and sibling rivalry.
—Air Mail, 7 June 2025
What follows is a melee of pratfalls and freak-outs, a guffaw-worthy display by such a fine group of actors.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 21 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for freak (out)
Verb
-
Take a seat on an icy throne—the cold never bothered you anyway.—
Ginger Crichton,
Midwest Living,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Don’t bother wasting your money—using it more than once a day won’t yield ‘better’ or faster results.—
Ali Pantony,
Glamour,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Robby—The Pitt executive producer, writer, director, and star Noah Wyle’s instantly iconic attending physician—is leading his final shift before a three-month leave that sounds like an awfully good idea following his meltdown last season.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
8 Jan. 2026
-
After his team’s latest defensive meltdown, Cronin said that his players needed to stay in front of their man to help mitigate the Bruins’ issues with help defense and slow rotations that are giving up open three-pointers.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Punk music and its spirit clearly worried the Soviet rulers.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Nov. 2025
-
For voters worried about health-insurance coverage or the future of research in the United States, scientists, health-care workers, and public-health experts may have particular appeal right now, Shields told me.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Over time, the gasket can become dry and cracked, allowing hot air to enter the fridge.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Grout's biggest challenge is cracking from improper installation or too much moisture.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The attendees—thirty- and forty-somethings who are members of the bank’s Private Wealth Management (PWM) division, which boasts an average account size of over $75 million—gathered to hash out their anxiety and excitement.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
9 Nov. 2025
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Barton will have to wait another month to receive his sentence for the six guilty counts the jury returned on charges of sending a grossly offensive electronic communication with intent to cause distress or anxiety to football broadcasters Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward, and TV and radio host Jeremy Vine.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The images alarmed many onlookers, watchdogs and people whose photos had been manipulated, and there was a sustained pushback on X leading up to the change.—
Kevin Collier,
NBC news,
9 Jan. 2026
-
That the administration appears unconcerned by this fact should alarm everyone else.—
Jon Duffy,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Sidestep a financial wrangle if someone is melting down.—
Tribune Content Agency,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Jan. 2026
-
The shorter the line, the less likely there will be a melt down (and melt downs mean having to spend precious time decompressing someplace quiet, or possibly having to end the entire excursion early and going back to the hotel).—
Priscilla Blossom,
Parents,
2 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Throughout Arizona’s tailspin, Gannon stuck to the blueprint, preaching process and patience during moments that publicly demanded more.—
Doug Haller,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Despite being a longtime socialist, Rodríguez also had a reputation as a technocrat and turned to market-friendly reforms to try to pull the economy out of its tailspin.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
4 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Freak (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/freak%20%28out%29. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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