panic

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of the phrase "panic" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe a sudden feeling of fear or anxiety. Example: "She felt a wave of panic wash over her as the deadline approached." Alternative expressions include "fear," "alarm," and "anxiety."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

My cock was barely a ghost, but I did not suffer panic.

The Guardian - Books

Next, he pointed out that full nationalization of a financial institution might trigger systemic shocks, as investors retreated from other banks, creating exactly the kind of panic that nationalization was intended to prevent.

The Economist

I don't like to spread panic unless I absolutely have to, but looking at Gove's pop-up initiatives, I think we ought be keeping our eye on the bubbles.

The Guardian

"The last thing we want to do is to make people panic or fearful but I think we need to have a very considered approach in terms of Australia's role in treating this particular problem and its global response," said the AMA president, Brian Owler.

The Guardian

Some imagined Mugabe running away from the security forces; others made jokes about the panic among his staff as he fell over.

The Guardian

Better Together officials insist that the decision to focus on the NHS was a panic measure after Salmond's debate defeat.

The Guardian

Don't panic – there's a plan This, argues Petra Schleiter, associate politics professor at Oxford, has the benefit of following "democratic and electoral logic".

The Guardian

The panic in the British establishment provoked by Edward's affair with Simpson and his apparent belief that he could get away with marrying her and remain king has been widely reported.

The Guardian

It was when I realised I could not even ride the escalator in John Lewis without a mounting panic that I knew I had to get help.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"It's all right, Michael, don't panic," she assured me as she scrabbled in the pitch black.

The Guardian

What they need, therefore, is rapid panic spreading through the ranks of the government's junior partner and thus the coalition's collapse.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Employ "panic" as a noun when discussing financial markets or large-scale social phenomena, such as a "moral panic" or "market panic".

Common error

A common mistake is forgetting to add a 'k' when adding suffixes to "panic" as a verb. Always write "panicked" and "panicking" to preserve the hard 'c' sound.

Linguistic Context

The word "panic" functions with equal frequency as a noun (representing a state of intense fear) and a verb (the act of experiencing that fear). Ludwig AI examples showcase its use in idiomatic constructions such as "moral panic" and "panic attack", as well as its intransitive verb usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

92%

Formal & Business

6%

Science

2%

Less common in

Wiki

1%

Social Media

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "panic" is a highly versatile and essential term in the English language, serving to describe both individual emotional distress and large-scale systemic crises. As seen in the examples from Ludwig, it is most frequently encountered in journalistic writing to describe market movements, political reactions, and social phenomena like "moral panics". Ludwig AI confirms that the word is used correctly in both its noun and verb forms across all 60 analyzed snippets. Writers should be particularly careful with the spelling of its inflected forms, ensuring the 'k' is included in "panicked" and "panicking". Whether used to describe a "panic button" in a hospital or "panic selling" on a stock exchange, the term remains a cornerstone of reporting on high-stress situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

terror

Implies a much more extreme and overwhelming state of intense fear

dread

Focuses on the deep apprehension of a future event rather than a sudden burst

alarm

Highlights the sudden awareness of danger or a warning signal

hysteria

Describes uncontrollable and exaggerated emotion, often within a group

fright

Refers to a brief and sudden experience of fear

consternation

Suggests a mixture of anxiety and dismay leading to confusion

trepidation

Indicates a nervous or fearful feeling about something that may happen

anxiety

Denotes a more persistent and long-term state of worry

agitation

Emphasizes the physical restlessness and disturbed state of mind

pandemonium

Focuses on the wild uproar and chaos resulting from shared fear

FAQs

How do I use "panic" in a sentence?

You can use it as a noun to describe a state of fear, such as "She was in a "blind panic"", or as a verb like "Try not to panic when the results arrive".

What can I say instead of "panic"?

Depending on the intensity, you can use terms like "alarm", "terror", or "hysteria".

Is it "paniced" or "panicked"?

The correct spelling is ""panicked"". In English, verbs ending in 'c' usually add a 'k' before 'ed' or 'ing' to keep the 'k' sound.

What is the difference between "panic" and "anxiety"?

A "panic" is typically a sudden and acute burst of fear, while "anxiety" is often a more prolonged and generalized feeling of unease.