panic-stricken

adjective

pan·​ic-strick·​en ˈpa-nik-ˌstri-kən How to pronounce panic-stricken (audio)
Synonyms of panic-strickennext
: overcome with panic

Examples of panic-stricken in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
These are not the first crew members to be panic-stricken by a stray rat today. — Dalton Ross, EW.com, 12 May 2023 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

Word History

First Known Use

1766, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of panic-stricken was in 1766

Rhymes for panic-stricken

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Browse Nearby Words

panic reaction
panic-stricken
paniculate
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Cite this Entry

“Panic-stricken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/panic-stricken. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

panic-stricken

adjective
pan·​ic-strick·​en
ˈpan-ik-ˌstrik-ən
: overcome with panic

More from Merriam-Webster on panic-stricken

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