Relax, and above all, don't panic.
Source: tatoeba (20368)
Panic
/ˈpænɪk/
Synonyms for "panic" (138 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (28)
Strong matches (41)
Related words (69)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: scare, terror, abject fear, affright, affright.
- Sentence evidence is available for panic, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "panic".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "panic"
Keep "panic" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "panic" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "panic", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "panic" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
19 entriesanxietyanxiousnessdreademotionemotional episodeemotional responseemotional stateemotional triggerfearfearfulnessfeelingfrightphenomenonpsychological statestate of mind
Showing 16 of 19 words.
More specific
8 entriesCollocations
10 entriesin a panicin panicpanic attackpanic buttonpanic buyingpanic disorderpanic roompanic sellingpanickingpublic panic
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
3 entriesTranslations
51 translations across 30 languages.
Armenian
1 entries- խուճապի մատնվել verb (to feel panic)
Belarusian
1 entries- панікава́ць verb (to feel panic)
Bulgarian
1 entries- паникьосвам се verb (to feel panic)
Catalan
2 entries- entrar en pànic verb (to feel panic)
- espantar verb (to feel panic)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 恐慌 verb (to feel panic)
Czech
1 entries- panikařit verb (to feel panic)
Dutch
1 entries- in paniek raken verb (to feel panic)
Esperanto
1 entries- panikiĝi verb (to feel panic)
Finnish
1 entries- panikoida verb (to feel panic)
French
2 entries- paniquer verb (to feel panic)
- s'affoler verb (to feel panic)
German
2 entries- in Panik geraten verb (to feel panic)
- in Panik verfallen verb (to feel panic)
Greek
1 entries- πανικοβάλλομαι verb (to feel panic)
Hungarian
2 entries- pánikba esik verb (to feel panic)
- pánikol verb (to feel panic)
Ingrian
2 entries- hätähyä verb (to feel panic)
- hätästyä verb (to feel panic)
Irish
1 entries- scanraigh verb (to feel panic)
Italian
2 entries- gettarsi nel panico verb (to feel panic)
- spaventarsi verb (to feel panic)
Japanese
1 entries- パニックになる verb (to feel panic)
Khmer
2 entries- ភ័យក្ដុក verb (to feel panic)
- ស្លន់ verb (to feel panic)
Latin
2 entries- patior pavōrem verb (to feel panic)
- patiō pavōrem verb (to feel panic)
Māori
1 entries- maurirere verb (to feel panic)
Norwegian
1 entries- få panikk verb (to feel panic)
Polish
1 entries- panikować verb (to feel panic)
Portuguese
2 entries- apavorar verb (to feel panic)
- deixar em pânico verb (to feel panic)
Romanian
1 entries- panica verb (to feel panic)
Russian
1 entries- паникова́ть verb (to feel panic)
Spanish
4 entries- alarmarse verb (to feel panic)
- apanicarse verb (to feel panic)
- aterrarse verb (to feel panic)
- empanicarse verb (to feel panic)
Swedish
1 entries- få panik verb (to feel panic)
Turkish
4 entries- panik olmak verb (to feel panic)
- panik yapmak verb (to feel panic)
- paniklemek verb (to feel panic)
- paniğe kapılmak verb (to feel panic)
Ukrainian
1 entries- панікува́ти verb (to feel panic)
Welsh
3 entries- cynhyrfu verb (to feel panic)
- dychryn verb (to feel panic)
- rhusio verb (to feel panic)
Sample sentences
33 total sentences available.
The fire caused a panic in the theater.
Source: tatoeba (23835)
The panic spread through the district in an instant.
Source: tatoeba (40842)
There's no need to panic. There's plenty of time.
Source: tatoeba (41552)
Showing 4 of 33 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "panic"?
Closest matches include scare, terror, abject fear, affright, affright.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "panic"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.