as in frightened
to strike with fear
for some reason, the herd of feeding animals at the zoo panicked him
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as in panicky
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Recent Examples of panicked
Rick Jervis, USA Today, 14 Sep. 2025
In one video posted on Facebook, a panicked woman could be seen running out of the park along with several other visitors, as screams were heard in the background.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 14 Sep. 2025
But before long his hearing begins to disappear, leading him down a panicked trail of denial, anger and desperation.
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Ben Hania lights a connective fuse between documentary and drama, using the actual recordings of the panicked girl and the emergency workers — the latter played by actors who hold the screen with pulsing immediacy.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 Sep. 2025
It’s struck fear in the hearts of panicked citizens.
—Michael Taube, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
Active shooter alerts at Villanova University in Pennsylvania and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga sent panicked students preparing for the new school year scrambling for cover as first responders swarmed campuses on August 21.
—Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2025
Her character, the increasingly panicked Nostromo navigator Joan Lambert, can’t claim the same renown that Weaver’s heroic Ellen Ripley inspired, but Lambert maintains an unimpeachable place in the genre canon nonetheless.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2025
At this point appearing to be genuinely panicked about OpenAI's insurmountable lead in the chatbot market, Musk has specifically alleged that an agreement integrating ChatGPT into the iOS violated antitrust and unfair competition laws.
—Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 25 Aug. 2025
ABC News, 12 Sep. 2025
Sumpter panicked when the woman was unresponsive and called the woman’s aunt, who came to the home, prosecutors said.
—Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 12 Sep. 2025
When this policy was rolled out at the end of March, beneficiaries panicked.
—Eli Hager, ProPublica, 8 Sep. 2025
When that Allie stumbled and nearly fell during the film’s first 20 minutes, this Ali panicked thinking her new friend might get kicked out.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025
Bryan Kohberger saw a news article about a white Hyundai Elantra having been identified as a suspect vehicle in the Idaho student murders and immediately panicked, according to the forensic team that analyzed his phone.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2025
In this increasingly surreal situation, United panicked.
—Andy Mitten, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2025
Suddenly a colonel, joyriding that day, panicked and reached for the controls.
—David Perlmutt, Charlotte Observer, 6 Aug. 2025
Is there anyone who flies regularly who hasn’t momentarily panicked over misplacing their ticket or driver’s license?
—Andrew Wimer, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
When the shot rang out, Nathalie tried to reach her daughter, but the melee of panicked runners forced her out a side gate.
—Rick Jervis, USA Today, 14 Sep. 2025
In one video posted on Facebook, a panicked woman could be seen running out of the park along with several other visitors, as screams were heard in the background.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 14 Sep. 2025
But before long his hearing begins to disappear, leading him down a panicked trail of denial, anger and desperation.
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Ben Hania lights a connective fuse between documentary and drama, using the actual recordings of the panicked girl and the emergency workers — the latter played by actors who hold the screen with pulsing immediacy.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 Sep. 2025
It’s struck fear in the hearts of panicked citizens.
—Michael Taube, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
Active shooter alerts at Villanova University in Pennsylvania and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga sent panicked students preparing for the new school year scrambling for cover as first responders swarmed campuses on August 21.
—Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2025
Her character, the increasingly panicked Nostromo navigator Joan Lambert, can’t claim the same renown that Weaver’s heroic Ellen Ripley inspired, but Lambert maintains an unimpeachable place in the genre canon nonetheless.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2025
At this point appearing to be genuinely panicked about OpenAI's insurmountable lead in the chatbot market, Musk has specifically alleged that an agreement integrating ChatGPT into the iOS violated antitrust and unfair competition laws.
—Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
These calls -- known as swatting -- panicked at least a dozen schools as police rush to campuses, chasing phantom threats with many of them being racially motivated and targeting historically Black colleges and universities.
—ABC News, 12 Sep. 2025
Sumpter panicked when the woman was unresponsive and called the woman’s aunt, who came to the home, prosecutors said.
—Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 12 Sep. 2025
When this policy was rolled out at the end of March, beneficiaries panicked.
—Eli Hager, ProPublica, 8 Sep. 2025
When that Allie stumbled and nearly fell during the film’s first 20 minutes, this Ali panicked thinking her new friend might get kicked out.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025
Bryan Kohberger saw a news article about a white Hyundai Elantra having been identified as a suspect vehicle in the Idaho student murders and immediately panicked, according to the forensic team that analyzed his phone.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2025
In this increasingly surreal situation, United panicked.
—Andy Mitten, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2025
Suddenly a colonel, joyriding that day, panicked and reached for the controls.
—David Perlmutt, Charlotte Observer, 6 Aug. 2025
Is there anyone who flies regularly who hasn’t momentarily panicked over misplacing their ticket or driver’s license?
—Andrew Wimer, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for panicked
Verb
-
Family pets, especially dogs, are frightened by the noise and will hide or try to run away.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Aug. 2025
-
In the first Nobody, Odenkirk’s Hutch has to reignite the sleeping assassin within himself after his family was frightened by a botched home invasion.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Was Broncos coach Robert Park concerned — maybe a little panicky?—
Steve Brand,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The group, which features members all wearing terrifying masks — something that delighted millions of fans at the turn of the millennium and scared plenty of others — is back on the Billboard charts, not with new music, but with the full-length that started it all.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
-
That night, Encinitas residents and regional immigrant rights advocates hosted a protest rally outside City Hall, then flooded into a City Council meeting demanding that council members take immediate action, saying the armed and masked agents scared them and their children.—
Barbara Henry,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Small business owners, who rely on social media to promote and sell their products, were especially worried with a busy festive season looming.—
Nir Kshetri,
The Conversation,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Parents are worried not just about getting food on the table, but whether that food is good for their kids.—
Yasmin Tayag,
The Atlantic,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In that episode, the college football fans are terrified to find themselves in Pro Town, a place where people go to yoga on Saturdays.—
Kristi Dosh,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Murillo recalled a Cuban grandmother whose grandchildren were terrified to go to school after their father was detained in front of them at their own home by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
During the trials, some participants experienced nausea and an upset stomach, but investigators found that dividing up the pills, instead of taking all four at once, and swallowing them with orange juice instead of water, helped relieve the symptoms.—
Megan McIntyre,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
-
So don’t be overly upset Yankee fans.—
Tony Blengino,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Seagulls lift off the beach, startled by the sudden salty cacophony.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
While some dogs are more confident, others may become easily startled by noises, objects, or movements that appear harmless to humans.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Legacy system complexities can be underestimated, users can feel apprehensive about new workflows or tools, and communication breakdowns can lead to insufficient stakeholder updates and collaboration.—
Devang Pandya,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
-
In the episode for which Howard is nominated, Matt is apprehensive to give feedback to the director that a scene from his new movie needs to be cut.—
Carson Blackwelder,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Panicked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/panicked. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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