as in scaring
to strike with fear
for some reason, the herd of feeding animals at the zoo panicked him
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Recent Examples of panicking
That number stopped me cold; my brain started panicking and running around in circles in my skull.
—
Phil Plait, Scientific American, 22 Jan. 2026
Griselda tried to keep him from panicking.
—Oriana Van Praag, New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2026
But their retail traders continued buying all the way down, drawing on their past successes in increasing exposure amid pullbacks rather than panicking.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2025
Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh told them to stop panicking.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 23 Dec. 2025
In some counties, home values have tripled, and the residents are panicking.
—Betsy McCaughey, Boston Herald, 21 Dec. 2025
Screaming from panicking passengers was heard in video taken from inside the bus.
—Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 16 Dec. 2025
A bit of panicking was justified.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 16 Dec. 2025
According to Festa, the situation intensified when his best friend called, warning that several coaches were panicking and feared losing their jobs, and Festa's own membership could be in jeopardy as well.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 9 Dec. 2025
Phil Plait, Scientific American, 22 Jan. 2026
Griselda tried to keep him from panicking.
—Oriana Van Praag, New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2026
But their retail traders continued buying all the way down, drawing on their past successes in increasing exposure amid pullbacks rather than panicking.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2025
Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh told them to stop panicking.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 23 Dec. 2025
In some counties, home values have tripled, and the residents are panicking.
—Betsy McCaughey, Boston Herald, 21 Dec. 2025
Screaming from panicking passengers was heard in video taken from inside the bus.
—Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 16 Dec. 2025
A bit of panicking was justified.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 16 Dec. 2025
According to Festa, the situation intensified when his best friend called, warning that several coaches were panicking and feared losing their jobs, and Festa's own membership could be in jeopardy as well.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 9 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for panicking
Verb
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How to tell her about this terrible event without scaring her?—
Jessica Tzikas,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
-
California’s declines can be more properties for sale, nudging sellers to compete on price, and a wobbly economy scaring off some potential buyers.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But monks there complained that the slain king was walking around at night, frightening them with strange sounds.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Kids will love sending this Dilophosaurus sauntering across the floor, frightening everything and everyone in his path.—
Pamela Brill,
Parents,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
That’s terrifying on a whole different level.—
Will Harris,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Jan. 2026
-
At another level, there does seem to be something absurd and even terrifying about the idea that someone who is not elected can become the leader of a country and then will be recognized as the leader of that country and receive the immunities afforded to heads of state.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Hauge called that startling, given that court filing fees alone cost just as much.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
4 Jan. 2026
-
Saturday, startling his sister.—
Andrew Ramos,
CBS News,
7 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Panicking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/panicking. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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