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
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Recent Examples of freak (out)
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 23 Jan. 2026
For now, though, Chang is in her bubble up north and witnessing most of the freak-outs remotely and not in person.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 14 Jan. 2026
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
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
Noun
This time, Carr’s freak-out was an attempt to stretch the FCC’s equal-time rules to apply to talk shows — both late night and daytime.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 23 Jan. 2026
For now, though, Chang is in her bubble up north and witnessing most of the freak-outs remotely and not in person.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 14 Jan. 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for freak (out)
Verb
-
Up until the past decade or so, food critics seldom bothered to write about casual cafes such as Zip's, instead focusing on the newest shiny-object restaurants in town.—
Keith Pandolfi,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Mar. 2026
-
None of that seems to have bothered Trump.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Ed Yardeni updated his outlook and raised the probability of a market meltdown to 35% for the rest of the year, up from 20% previously.—
Nasteho Said,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Given the persistent threat, the president of Yardeni Research hiked the probability of a stock market meltdown that includes 1970s-style stagflation to 35% this year from 20%.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Some Republicans are worried about Paxton’s chances in a general election as the GOP tries to keep control of the Senate in November, and worry that money will need to be spent in Texas that could otherwise go toward winning battleground states, according to Politico.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Mar. 2026
-
But don’t worry, by the time they’re gone, there’ll be another new treat to try.—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In the Los Angeles area and a few places around the San Francisco Bay Area, the cost of gas has cracked $5-per-gallon again and is even tipping toward $6 in a few places.—
Iris Kwok,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Edwards was shooting 46 percent on long 2-pointers, which cracked the NBA’s top 10 (among qualifying perimeter players) leading into Thursday night’s action.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Still, the broader bond rout reflects anxiety about the global economy after crude oil surged toward $120 a barrel, up almost 80% since the Iran war began and disrupted shipments from the Middle East.—
Marcus Wong,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Studies have shown a correlation between heavy digital dependence and mental health challenges including depression, anxiety and stress.—
Karen Garcia,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The statistics should alarm anyone concerned about American AI leadership.—
Eric Schmidt,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Those conflicts, however, did not initially appear serious enough to alarm adults around them.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
After an ugly pitching performance Saturday night in which the Texas bullpen melted down and allowed six runs in the ninth inning, the Longhorns steadied themselves Sunday.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
8 Mar. 2026
-
When his kids melted down and started shrieking over the usual tantrum-inducing nonsense that sometimes sets off 4-year-olds, Buttigieg looked around nervously, gathered his family, and left the shop fast.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Cuba’s economy, already in the midst of an existential crisis, went into a tailspin.—
Sarah Moreno,
Miami Herald,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The film, set in 1920s Montana, unwraps the lives of the Burbank brothers, Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George (Jesse Plemons), after George marries lonely widow Rose Gordon (Kirsten Dunst), setting surly Phil into a tailspin of cruelty that envelops the family.—
Sezin Devi Keohler,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Freak (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/freak%20%28out%29. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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