as in frightened
too overcome with panic to think or act normally
The panic-stricken horses crashed through the door of the burning barn.
Related Words
Relevance
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 panic-stricken
For the first time in his life, the great shark couldn’t swim freely and, panic-stricken, bolted clear of his world and there was only emptiness, and his tail and pectoral fins were helpless in the void.
—
Pat Smith, Outdoor Life, 24 July 2025
That afternoon, another detainee called her with a message that left her panic-stricken: Her son, 25-year-old Yoiker David Sequera, had been taken away to a notorious offshore prison.
—Lauren Villagran, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025
These are not the first crew members to be panic-stricken by a stray rat today.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 12 May 2023
Pat Smith, Outdoor Life, 24 July 2025
That afternoon, another detainee called her with a message that left her panic-stricken: Her son, 25-year-old Yoiker David Sequera, had been taken away to a notorious offshore prison.
—Lauren Villagran, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025
These are not the first crew members to be panic-stricken by a stray rat today.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 12 May 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for panic-stricken
Adjective
-
Soapy Water Stink bugs tend to drop when frightened, so fill a cup with soapy water and hold it under the stink bug.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Their height and heft frightened and thrilled spectators, earning dinosaurs a permanent place in the public imagination, Coules said.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The response underscores the intensity of the speculative mania around AI, which has fueled stampedes into would-be winners and panicked rushes away from any industry that seems poised to be hit by the competitive threat.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The child’s panicked mother grabbed him and rushed him into Brookdale University Hospital but he couldn’t be saved.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Though American Pie was all fun and games once the cameras started rolling, Shannon Elizabeth recalls being pretty terrified while trying to land a part in the hit ʼ90s comedy.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Another video, filmed inside the bus and shared on TikTok, captured the terrified screams of students who were riding the bus at the time.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Please don’t feel scared, feel proud.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Were the Nuggets running scared from their rivals?—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The redemption requests at Blue Owl included some large institutions and wasn’t just limited to panicky retail investors, this person said.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Most descriptions conclude that Obama used this quirky exchange to overrule his panicky advisors and run full steam ahead on health reform.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Panic-stricken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/panic-stricken. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
