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
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 freak (out)
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
The situation at the heart of the movie goes from bad to worse along a linear trajectory, but the horror freak-out promised by its eeriest moments never really bothers to materialize.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2025
There's not the same freak-out about immigration in Canada.
—Foreign Affairs, 29 Dec. 2016
But the Democratic freak-out commenced soon after Biden came to the stage.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 1 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
Noun
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
The situation at the heart of the movie goes from bad to worse along a linear trajectory, but the horror freak-out promised by its eeriest moments never really bothers to materialize.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2025
There's not the same freak-out about immigration in Canada.
—Foreign Affairs, 29 Dec. 2016
But the Democratic freak-out commenced soon after Biden came to the stage.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 1 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
-
Or Xander Schauffele, the defending PGA champion who is surely not bothered by the lack of attention on him early this week.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
-
That doesn’t mean the implication doesn’t bother him.—
Jack Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2025
Noun
-
The Grok meltdown underscores some of the fundamental problems at the heart of AI development that tech companies have so far yada-yada-yada’d through anytime they’re pressed on questions of safety.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
20 May 2025
-
In one incident, covered by Newsweek, a woman had a meltdown at check-in while her young child cried and begged her to stop.—
Matthew Impelli,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 May 2025
Verb
-
One thing Salmon didn’t have to worry about before Monday’s game was having support.—
Tony Baranek,
Chicago Tribune,
20 May 2025
-
In 1956, a survey of over 2,000 professors showed that 61% had been contacted by the FBI; 40% worried that students might misrepresent their politics; and about a quarter would not express their views for fear of the government.—
Time,
Time,
20 May 2025
Verb
-
Now, a May 15 report has brought another iPhone and Android warning to the forefront regarding PIN number usage: the speed at which AI can crack yours.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
-
Masha has also swapped the California sunshine for the Austrian Alps and has a whole new set of clients waiting to be cracked open by her unorthodox methods.—
Lucy Ford,
Time,
19 May 2025
Noun
-
Margin anxiety nonetheless prompted HF Sinclair to pause what had been a budding streak of annual dividend hikes since a little before the corporate merger.—
Brett Owens,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2025
-
Although summer is usually the best time for relaxing, some grads might already be feeling the anxiety that comes with starting a new school or job.—
Brenda Stolyar,
Wired News,
18 May 2025
Verb
-
Democrats and some Republicans are also alarmed over the ethics of accepting such an expensive gift from a foreign country.—
Jeremy Bogaisky,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
-
The rapid expansion of the Camp House Fire, Jenkins Creek Fire and Munger Shaw Fire has alarmed officials.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 May 2025
Verb
-
Luigi Mangione musical already sold out, opening in San Francisco Liberals melt down over Donald Trump as Pope, star wars Jedi; MAGA as fandom?—
The Hill,
The Hill,
5 May 2025
-
The precious metal isn’t just a superfluous adornment; it’s seen as a liquid asset: something that can be traded, act as collateral or melted down and sold.—
Sadiya Ansari Spandita Malik,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Key Background Trump announced a new slate of tariffs against all U.S. trading partners on April 2, sending stock markets in the U.S. and abroad into a tailspin, fueling recession fears and prompting some of his allies in the business community to speak out against the policy.—
Sara Dorn,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
-
Bobby’s death is going to send every other character on this show into an emotional tailspin, and who knows what could emerge from that?—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
18 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Freak (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/freak%20%28out%29. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share