panic 1 of 2

panic

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word panic distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of panic are alarm, dread, fear, fright, terror, and trepidation. While all these words mean "painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger," panic implies unreasoning and overmastering fear causing hysterical activity.

the news caused widespread panic

In what contexts can alarm take the place of panic?

The words alarm and panic can be used in similar contexts, but alarm suggests a sudden and intense awareness of immediate danger.

view the situation with alarm

When could dread be used to replace panic?

Although the words dread and panic have much in common, dread usually adds the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests aversion as well as anxiety.

faced the meeting with dread

When is it sensible to use fear instead of panic?

While the synonyms fear and panic are close in meaning, fear is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually loss of courage.

fear of the unknown

When would fright be a good substitute for panic?

The synonyms fright and panic are sometimes interchangeable, but fright implies the shock of sudden, startling fear.

fright at being awakened suddenly

When can terror be used instead of panic?

The meanings of terror and panic largely overlap; however, terror implies the most extreme degree of fear.

immobilized with terror

How do trepidation and dread relate to one another, in the sense of panic?

Trepidation adds to dread the implications of timidity, trembling, and hesitation.

raised the subject with trepidation

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 panic
Noun
By the twenty-first century, the male population had long since recovered, but there was still a sense, bordering on panic, that good men—single, decent, with well-paying jobs—were an endangered species. Julia Ioffe, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025 Scenes of panic emerged in Gaza during the strikes, where crowds were seen gathered at al-Aqsa hospital as casualties were rushed into the facility. Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 19 Oct. 2025
Verb
Perczak advised homeowners to watch for signs of defects and address any concerns without panicking. Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 16 Oct. 2025 Still way too soon to panic, though. Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for panic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for panic
Noun
  • The result came after Milei’s party suffered a landslide defeat to the Peronist opposition in a September local vote in the Buenos Aires province, an outcome that sparked a selloff of the peso amid investor fears over the president’s standing with voters.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Harrison expressed deep fears that the White House could take an ax to CPB and public media more broadly.
    David Folkenflik, NPR, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The former instantly adds a second layer of security against unwanted guests, and the latter emits an ultra-loud alarm while acting like a door stop wedge, scaring off any stranger who tries to enter your room.
    Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Actors dressed as sadistic guards and disturbed prisoners, jump-scaring visitors from the prison cells.
    Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 26 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • That driving tension and anxiety are largely thanks to the team of artisans, which included composer Volker Bertelmann, editor Kirk Baxter and sound designer Paul Ottosson, who worked closely behind the scenes on their respective crafts to bring it together.
    Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 25 Oct. 2025
  • That sense of anxiety is present throughout the book, most vividly in a wide shot of a group of cheerleaders rehearsing in a gym.
    Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • When the Maitlands' attempts to frighten the Deetzes away fail miserably, Barbara and Adam turn to the mysterious and mischievous Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) to rid them of the living.
    Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Around 100 pairs were found abandoned on the roof, perhaps due to the thieves being frightened away, Sheriff John Budensiek said at the news conference.
    Mark Price, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • While film critics typically lead with the physical transformation that Sweeney pulled off, equally impressive is her ability to delve into the psyche of a woman who was fearless in the ring but rightfully terrified of the man closest to her.
    Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 27 Oct. 2025
  • And a chance encounter with ICE in August landed Barojas Solano in detention for six weeks, upending his legal process and leaving them terrified that he could be detained again.
    Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 26 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Despite its speculative premise, the series captures the loneliness that has pervaded society since the COVID pandemic and the dread of a future in which artificial intelligence might render human interaction obsolete.
    Judy Berman, Time, 27 Oct. 2025
  • The resulting amalgam of curious thoughts, heartfelt angst, expressions of longing or dread, make for a raw, touching saga shared by dozens of people, all seemingly looking for meaning.
    Will Tizard, Variety, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Across America, Halloween spending is expected to reach record levels this year, including large crowds waiting for their chance to be chased, startled and screamed at.
    Isabel Rosales, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025
  • White disappears completely into the role without skirting parody, portraying the exhausted hitmaker as startled by his own numbness, blanked out and unsure of what to do next.
    Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 24 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Panic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/panic. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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