frantic

adjective

fran·​tic ˈfran-tik 

1

: emotionally out of control

2

: marked by fast and nervous, disordered, or anxiety-driven activity

made a frantic search for the lost child

frantic cries for help

3

archaic : mentally unsound

franticness

ˈfran-tik-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• agitated
• delirious
• distracted
• distrait
• distraught
• frenzied
• hysterical
• hysteric

Examples of frantic in a Sentence

The girl was frantic with fear.

They made a frantic search for the missing child.

They were making frantic preparations for the party.

a frantic attempt to finish on schedule

Recent Examples on the Web

At the frantic pounding of feet, my attention startles toward the cavernous hall. —Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 17 Mar. 2025

That raised questions about Silicon Valley’s frantic spending. —Cade Metz, New York Times, 17 Mar. 2025

Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin stopped three shots during a pair of frantic pileups in the crease before New York won a faceoff and Simon Holmstrom scored an empty netter from his own end with 6.3 seconds left. —Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2025

What follows is a frantic search to discover which of the parties closest to him is the guilty one, while being torn between protecting his wife and honoring his duties. —Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English frenetik, frentik, frantike "temporarily deranged, delirious" — more at frenetic

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for frantic

• antic
• atlantic
• gigantic
• pedantic
• romantic
• semantic
• vedantic
• transatlantic
• unromantic

Kids Definition

frantic

adjective

fran·​tic ˈfrant-ik 

1

: wildly excited

frantic cries for help

was frantic with fear

2

: marked by wild and hurried activity

a frantic search for the missing child

frantically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

franticly

-i-klē

adverb