as in frightened
too overcome with panic to think or act normally
The panic-stricken horses crashed through the door of the burning barn.
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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
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Chesney became frightened, scaled the enclosure wall and hopped over the fence.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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The team caught up with Chesney on Wednesday and again Thursday night, but Johnson said the frightened kangaroo slipped away — once by jumping into a cold river — and Johnson lost track on the drone.—
John O'Connor,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Having underprepared for an audience with Pope John Paul II, a panicked Minnelli offered to sing.—
Matt Weinstock,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
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What went right and what went wrong during the panicked scramble for solutions?—
David Blumenthal,
STAT,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Recently, Kristen chased a terrified family with young children up a nearby stairway.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
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But since the arrival of the feds, families had grown too terrified to leave home.—
Daniel Brook,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Employees felt unsafe coming to work; customers were scared to leave their homes.—
David Farley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
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Hearts have melted online after a scared rescue dog bravely faced her fear in order to join her owner, with many viewers praising her unquestionable courage and determination.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 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
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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 6 Apr. 2026.
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