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
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
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
Expect multiple scenes of the characters engaging in psychedelic frolics and freak-outs, some of which illustrate their backstories through sweaty, surreal vignettes.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 19 May 2025
Every so often, the E.R. is visited by rats, little symbols of disrepair and instigators of slapstick freak-outs.
—James Poniewozik, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
Enter another Jamie freak-out, which seems to come out of nowhere.
—Marah Eakin, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2025
No one is really disputing it, but the market freak-out hinges on the truthfulness of a single and relatively unknown company.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2025
Verb
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
Expect multiple scenes of the characters engaging in psychedelic frolics and freak-outs, some of which illustrate their backstories through sweaty, surreal vignettes.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 19 May 2025
Every so often, the E.R. is visited by rats, little symbols of disrepair and instigators of slapstick freak-outs.
—James Poniewozik, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
Enter another Jamie freak-out, which seems to come out of nowhere.
—Marah Eakin, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2025
No one is really disputing it, but the market freak-out hinges on the truthfulness of a single and relatively unknown company.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for freak-out
Verb
-
House Republicans haven’t even bothered to show up to work since the shutdown began.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
9 Oct. 2025
-
What continued to bother him was the strange feeling of impending disaster.—
Marguerite Reiss,
Outdoor Life,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The 2025 gains for the precious metal are historic, surpassing prior turbulent periods such as after the September 11 terror attacks, the 2008 financial meltdown or even the pandemic.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Of course, leave it to Shaprio — who famously had a meltdown over Barbie — to so widely miss the point of the film, while coming weirdly close.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Don’t worry, all items are incredibly versatile, like sleek sneakers, cozy cardigans, and matching sets—plus, prices start at a budget-friendly $12.—
Asia London Palomba,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Another part worried that the flavor of my favorite childhood dish would taste too much like comfort—and comfort, right now, feels like betrayal as so many Palestinians in Gaza go hungry.—
Reem Kassis,
The Atlantic,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Resale values on premium EVs are notoriously bad, and with the possible exception of the Rolls-Royce Spectre, nobody has quite cracked the nut on how to build one that could conceivably be considered an heirloom.—
Tim Stevens,
Robb Report,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Jackson Lacombe and Luke Hughes each just signed long-term extensions with $9 million AAVs — before either one cracked 50 points.—
Max Bultman,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The nation’s third shutdown in 12 years has again raised anxiety levels among service members and their families as those in uniform are working without pay.—
Fortune,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
-
In the book, she's portrayed as someone suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and on anxiety medication, both of which are used to discredit her and paint her as unwell.—
Rebecca Aizin,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Browning has thrown eight interceptions in four starts, which was alarming enough for the Bengals to make a move.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Nigin told her later that, yes, she had been alarmed by the cut but had resolved to check on her students.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The international spotlight recently turned to crime in Egypt when a pharaoh's priceless bracelet was stolen from a Cairo museum and melted down – forever lost to history.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Reliever Luke Weaver melted down again, and then seemed lost trying to explain it postgame.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Because if this tailspin continues, the offseason changes within the organization could be wide-reaching.—
Jeff Zrebiec,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The rejection sends Frankenstein’s monster into a tailspin of isolation and misery.—
Jon Michael Varese,
The Atlantic,
28 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Freak-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/freak-out. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share