1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

freak (out) 1 of 2

verb

Definition of freak (out)next
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

Relevance

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

freak-out

2 of 2

noun

as in meltdown

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 freak (out)
Noun
The episode was almost entirely about Margo and her continued freak-out. — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 24 Apr. 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 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 See All Example Sentences for freak (out)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for freak (out)
  1. bother
  2. crack
  3. meltdown
  4. worry
  5. melt down
  6. anxiety
  7. alarm
  8. break up
Verb
  • What’s bothered me, though, is how its backers have anchored their messaging around a lot of misleading generalizations about the state of college sports.
    — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Having my mother in so much of the film [is what] bothers me.
    — Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of bother
Verb
  • Musetti cracked the world’s top five earlier this year, but has been hampered by injuries since.
    — Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Eggs are famous for being fragile, cracking open at the slightest nudge against a countertop.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of crack
Noun
  • But airlines were furious, demanding that the head of NATS, Martin Rolfe, consider resigning after the second air traffic meltdown in three years.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The prime specimen here is the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, which was empaneled under former California Treasurer Phil Angelides to report on the financial meltdown of 2007-2008.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of meltdown
Verb
  • According to new Gallup polling, 27% of US workers worry that technology will render their jobs obsolete, a new high.
    — Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • New blood tests that might predict Alzheimer’s years before symptoms begin may sound tantalizing for people who worry about later-in-life dementia.
    — Lauran Neergaard, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of worry
Verb
  • Due to this, silver was often cut into smaller pieces or melted down.
    — Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Gossip blogger Perez Hilton was reportedly treated for a drug overdose after melting down during a livestream that caused concerns of self-harm.
    — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of melt down
Noun
  • Off-camera, though, Hansen’s self-loathing and anxiety are off the charts.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Since the assault, the woman has experienced post-traumatic stress disorder, severe anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of anxiety
Verb
  • The constant delay-of-game calls, false starts and inability to get lined up are a special level of alarming for a quarterback who entered the NFL 10 years ago.
    — Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Americans appear increasingly alarmed by the technology,with 7 in 10 polled in March opposing local construction of data centers that power AI technology, according to a Gallup survey.
    — Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of alarm
Verb
  • This time, seven more lives were lost when the original shuttle orbiter Columbia broke up on reentry over the skies of Texas, flying its 28th and final mission.
    — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Sadly, that gig was canceled, and months later the Smiths broke up.
    — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of break up

Browse Nearby Words

freakishness
freak (out)
freak-out
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Freak (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/freak%20%28out%29. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of watershed

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All