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panic

[pan-ik] / ˈpæn ɪk /


NOUN
sudden drop in value in financial markets
Synonyms


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

That sparked a period of panic over the tech sector as firms rely heavily on debt to fund their eye-watering AI investments.

From Barron's ● Nov. 11, 2026

It can push us toward panic selling, drive us to make wild assumptions about the world, and even prompt us to take a hard look at our own finances.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 10, 2026

Witnesses who were close to the attack described panic and confusion around the square as it unfolded.

From BBC ● Nov. 8, 2026

Amanda’s rage quickly morphs into panic because she knows how dependent the childlike Leslie is on her husband, who functions as her primary caregiver.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026

“La, what happened? What made you panic? That hasn’t happened since your mom.”

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

If a cat panics, Mathers said, anything could happen, including losing the pet.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

Throughout the 1800s and early 1900s, the federal government stepped in repeatedly during banking panics to stabilize the system.

From Salon ● Apr. 28, 2026

Among the many tedious features of market panics is the well-known cognitive error of catastrophizing.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 13, 2026

Whenever somebody stares at Sasha-Jay Davies in a supermarket, she panics, thinking they recognise her face and are about to confront her.

From BBC ● Mar. 11, 2026

She had come to depend on the cooing sounds, the lip-smacking, the sudden shrieking panics.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

But now the term has been universally adopted for the presumably looming catastrophic event that will drive U.S. politicians, in panicked fashion, to take a more hands-on approach to AI.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2026

"I was panicked, I was scared," she said of her more than seven hours in detention, having turned up in court expecting to face a maximum penalty of a fine.

From Barron's ● Nov. 8, 2026

Santa Rosa resident Chara Brazley said she received a panicked call from her 24-year-old daughter who works at Ulta Beauty at the shopping center.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026

That triggered years of health anxiety, with hours spent searching symptoms, feeling panicked and isolated.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

Decidedly so if they were startled or panicked or surprised.

From This Side of Wild by Gary Paulsen

For example, know early on whether you’ll be panicking about losses during a downturn, or if you can stomach volatility well into your retirement years.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026

"The kind of person who misses a flight and, instead of panicking, calmly adapts to the situation. This person may still feel stressed, but they're better able to manage it through psychological flexibility."

From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026

When it happens, and it can - the flight can be cancelled, or the train is delayed, there is so much traffic, I don't want the players and staff panicking.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

“I guess I should have said, ‘bond traders can stop panicking when Scott Bessent starts panicking.’”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

“She did. If I hadn’t been panicking so much, I’d have remembered that blue whales aren’t physically able to swallow anything close to my size.”

From "The Boy Who Met a Whale" by Nizrana Farook


Vocabulary lists containing panic

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