panicking
In sudden terror
Panicking is the present participle of panic—experiencing or causing sudden, overwhelming fear that overrides rational thought.
Someone panicking may freeze, flee, or act erratically: She was panicking about the deadline.
Markets panic when investors sell frantically.
The spelling retains the K to preserve the hard C sound before -ing.
Extreme, overwhelming fear
- dreadIntense anticipatory fear
- fearEmotional response to threat
- horrorExtreme fear or disgust
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
overwhelm · helplessness · desperation · anguish · apprehension · alarm · fright · trepidation
Abnormally rapid respiration
- palpitationsAwareness of abnormal heartbeat
- sweatingMoisture through pores
- tremblingInvoluntary shaking motion
- shakingRapid involuntary movement
dizziness · nausea · lightheadedness · numbness · tingling · flushing · breathlessness · adrenaline
Moving clumsily in haste
- fleeingRapid escape from danger
- screamingLoud, shrill vocalizing
- cryingEmotional tear release
- freezingExtremely cold
flailing · pacing · hyperventilating · stammering · fumbling · bolting · rushing · grabbing
Frenzied mass flight
- mobDisorderly, aggressive crowd
- frenzyViolent mental agitation
- pandemoniumState of utter confusion
- bedlamState of wild disorder
mayhem · chaos · riot · crush · evacuation · fleeing · screaming · trampling
Serious sudden danger
- crisisDecisive dangerous moment
- disasterSudden ruinous event
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
- accidentUnintended harmful event
attack · threat · danger · deadline · confrontation · ambush · entrapment · chaos
terror
Extreme, overwhelming fear
anxiety · overwhelm · helplessness · desperation · anguish · apprehension · alarm · fright · trepidation · hysteria
hyperventilation
Abnormally rapid respiration
- palpitationsAwareness of abnormal heartbeat
- sweatingMoisture through pores
- tremblingInvoluntary shaking motion
shaking · dizziness · nausea · lightheadedness · numbness · tingling · flushing · breathlessness · adrenaline
scrambling
Moving clumsily in haste
freezing · flailing · pacing · hyperventilating · stammering · fumbling · bolting · rushing · grabbing · clutching
stampede
Frenzied mass flight
- mobDisorderly, aggressive crowd
- frenzyViolent mental agitation
- pandemoniumState of utter confusion
bedlam · mayhem · chaos · riot · crush · evacuation · fleeing · screaming · trampling · surging
emergency
Serious sudden danger
- crisisDecisive dangerous moment
- disasterSudden ruinous event
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
accident · attack · threat · danger · deadline · confrontation · ambush · entrapment · chaos · meltdown
- intimidationthreats, threatening, menacing, intimidate, bullying
- anxiety signsnervousness, worry, worrying, trembling, shaking
- overdoingoverdoing, overindulging, overkill, excess, overreacting
- escape responsesfleeing, flight, running away, escaping, escape
- thinkingthinking, reasoning, thought, ponder, contemplate
- reactionsreaction, response, gasp, wince, flinch
panickinglevel-headed
Calm and sensible
cool-headed · keeping cool · steady · poised · unflustered