as in fear
the emotion experienced in the presence or threat of danger
the sudden sight of a grizzly bear filled the hiker with panic
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to scare
to strike with fear
for some reason, the herd of feeding animals at the zoo panicked him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of panic
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
Scammers count on that split-second panic.
—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
18 June 2026
Parton said her experience last August prevented her from panicking when faced with a heavy police presence during Tuesday’s standoff.
—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for panic
Noun
Media coverage of studies such as Czeisler’s triggered a wave of panic about devices and their impact on sleep, and soon everyone was fitting their tablets with blue filters or donning blue-blocker glasses to prevent all those blue photons from reaching their eyeballs at night.
—
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
Scammers count on that split-second panic.
—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
Verb
The new findings are thus less a reason to panic than to prepare—to have emergency kits and go-bags at the ready, to establish family communication plans, to know in advance evacuation routes from the home and the workplace.
—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
18 June 2026
Parton said her experience last August prevented her from panicking when faced with a heavy police presence during Tuesday’s standoff.
—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for panic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for panic
Noun
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As Kennedy and Bessette spend more time together and grow closer, her intimidation of the spotlight and fear of invasive paparazzi often create tension in their relationship, despite his attempts to calm the situation.
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Throughout the whole battle, that’s when fear really sets in for Jace.
Verb
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Don’t be scared by his blue eyes.
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The intent of the letters isn’t to scare people, but to educate them about water stewardship, Talbott said.
Noun
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As burnout, anxiety and digital overload continue to climb, many are discovering that recovery requires doing less—not more.
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In a neighborhood sometimes marked by gangs and violence, and in a time of heightened anxiety over immigration enforcement, the Fiesta Back of the Yards acts as a beacon of light, offering food, social services, music and fun in a safe environment.
Verb
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But her outbursts frightened the children too.
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What frightened me most was what might happen to my children.
Noun
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Only rush-hour traffic and $20 tacos inspire the same level of dread.
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The long and painful rehab would have interfered with his writing; the dread of leaving behind an incomplete manuscript outweighed the benefit of a few extra months.
Verb
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Supporters — many of them wearing Colombia’s yellow and red colors — rushed the gates at the home stadium of the NFL's Miami Dolphins, leaving fans terrified and bloodied as security struggled to contain the rush.
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In La Guaira, entire sections of Catia la Mar remained without electricity on Thursday after many residents spent Wednesday night sleeping in streets, cars or near damaged buildings, terrified of further collapses.
Verb
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The mobile phone alert startled many across the city-state of Dubai, the first such alert since the interim ceasefire.
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Lansley said she has been startled by how chatbots can appear to display emotional intelligence.
Cite this Entry
“Panic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/panic. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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