What does "amok" mean?
One who runs amok; in Malay and Moro/Philippine culture, one who attempts to kill many others, especially expecting that they will be killed themselves.
Amok
/əˈmɒk/ adv, noun, verb
adv, noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: One who runs amok; in Malay and Moro/Philippine culture, one who attempts to kill many others, especially expecting that they will be killed themselves.
- Grammar: amok is listed as adv, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: abandoned, amuck, amuck, attack.
- Useful contrasts: calm, calm down, calmly.
- Usage evidence: Until the teacher appeared, the children were running amok in the classroom.
How to use "amok"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "amok" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "amok" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "amok" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "amok" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "amok" is acting as adv, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abandoned" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "amok", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 One who runs amok; in Malay and Moro/Philippine culture, one who attempts to kill many others, especially expecting that they will be killed themselves.
"One morning, as we were sitting at breakfast, Mr. Carter's servant informed us that there was an "Amok" in the village--in other words, that a man was "running a muck.""
- 2 A kind of Southeast Asian curry steamed in banana leaves native to Cambodia. uncountable
- 3 The act of running amok.
"On the morning of the amok this person met him, and asked him to work at his boat “He replied that he could not, he was very much afflicted.”[…]The amok took place on the 8th, the trial on the 13th, and the execution on the 15th July,—all within eight days."
Verb
- 1 Synonym of run amok.
"The Rájá not listening to this language, again tried to kill Gumpar with a spear, and all his people assisted in thrusting and cutting at him; there was a great hubbub, and people outside of the fort were astonished to learn that there was amoking within it."
Adjective
- 1 wildly frenzied and out of control wordnet
Adverb
- 1 Out of control, especially when armed and dangerous.
- 2 In a frenzy of violence, or on a killing spree; berserk.
"It is true, I […] might have run “amok” against society; but I preferred that society should run “amok” against me, it being the desperate party."
Adverb
- 1 in a murderous frenzy wordnet
- 2 wildly; without self-control wordnet
Example
"Until the teacher appeared, the children were running amok in the classroom."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "amok"?
Common synonyms include: abandoned, amuck, amuck, attack, bacchic, bellowing.
How do you use "amok" in a sentence?
Until the teacher appeared, the children were running amok in the classroom.
How do you pronounce "amok"?
Pronounced /əˈmɒk/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Portuguese amouco, from Malay amuk (“to go on a killing spree”). The term first appeared in English around the 16th century, associated with the people of Malaysia and Java, first described in the 1516 text The Book of Duarte Barbosa, which was translated to English by Henry E. J. Stanley.
Etymology 2
From Khmer អាម៉ុក (ʼaamok, “to steam in banana leaves”)