panic button

noun

: something setting off a precipitous emergency response
there was no pushing of panic buttons at the White House, no rushing of troopsJ. C. Harsch

Examples of panic button in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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But after three more of Karty’s kicks were blocked over the next three weeks and all of them played a role in Rams losses, the panic button has felt a fist as fierce as the ones that kept those kicks from sniffing the uprights. Nate Atkins, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025 Clearly someone hit the panic button in his earpiece. Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025 One team legend, however, isn’t hitting the panic button just yet. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 16 Sep. 2025 But Rams coach Sean McVay is doing everything possible to prevent L.A. fans from reaching for the panic button. Jay Paris, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for panic button

Word History

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of panic button was in 1900

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Cite this Entry

“Panic button.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/panic%20button. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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