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
The following morning, Abel seems to have emerged from the grip of panic, but Anima isn’t prepared for their time together to end. Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 15 May 2025 Each scene shows one man’s influence on the other, each narrative reveals inward choices, fear or bravery, panic or desperate rationalizing. Armond White, National Review, 14 May 2025
Verb
Swonk said the past 40 days has resulted in a paralysis on importing goods and now panic to bring them in. Obed Manuel, NPR, 13 May 2025 But don’t panic — the underwater volcano’s eruption doesn’t pose any real danger to humans. Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 9 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for panic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for panic
Noun
  • Krystal Sieben took her children to a horse ranch and watched as her 8-year-old son with autism, racked with fear, was on the verge of tears.
    Talia McWright, Twin Cities, 10 May 2025
  • Madrid’s lack of defensive intensity means their opponents can progress upfield with little fear at times, knowing that Ancelotti’s forward line does not provide their team-mates the protection that comes with pressing from the front.
    Mark Carey, New York Times, 10 May 2025
Verb
  • Start to say no to distractions that do not serve your higher purpose, and start saying yes to the things that challenge you, stretch you and even scare you a little.
    Melissa Sierra, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
  • What scares and excites you about where AI is headed for the next generation of artists?
    Lily Marks, Time, 5 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
  • As reported by First Post, Poland is holding a presidential election against a backdrop of growing security concerns, fueled by the ongoing war in neighboring Ukraine and anxiety over a potential U.S. retreat from European defense commitments under President Donald Trump.
    Emma Marsden, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 May 2025
Verb
  • The goal of strengthening Washington’s presence should be to reassure partners that U.S. pressure is designed to create stronger alliances, not to pave the way for abandonment, as well as to ensure that resisting China is viable for countries that are frightened by Beijing.
    A. Wess Mitchell, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
  • The American Declaration of Independence and Constitution frightened monarchies and despots around the world without a single bullet or gunboat.
    Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The prospective repercussions terrify the corner of the AI universe concerned about safety, industry experts said, particularly as leading players pursue artificial general intelligence, or AGI, which is technology that rivals or exceeds human intelligence.
    Hayden Field,Jonathan Vanian,Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 14 May 2025
  • The radiotherapy had caused swelling in my brain—apparently a normal response, but still terrifying.
    Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 May 2025
Noun
  • Boom!, the semi-autobiographical musical from Rent creator Jonathan Larson, as a hungry young composer racing toward his 30th birthday with more than a note of dread.
    Sara Netzley, EW.com, 7 May 2025
  • Developing Greater Self-Awareness Identifying behavioral signs of anxiety — such as physical restlessness, changes in eating habits or a sense of dread — may provide useful insights.
    Diane Winiarski, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • That's why, while scrolling through a weightlifting message late one night, Johnston was startled by how people who lifted talked about exercise.
    Mara Gordon, NPR, 8 May 2025
  • While June and Nick, still trapped in the closet, marinate in his betrayal, the women of Jezebel’s are startled by guardians busting into their dressing room and roughly moving them into the corner of the space that doubles as a bathroom.
    Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 6 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Panic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/panic. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

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