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
• distraught
• hysteric
• worried
• frightened

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

On Friday, law enforcement officials arrested the man accused of shooting and killing Kirk, in Utah after a frantic 33-hour manhunt. —Sophia Compton, FOXNews.com, 14 Sep. 2025

Tasha Williams, mom to a freshman student, said her daughter called about the shooter, frantic and searching for her friend. —Katie Langford, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025

Laura is frantic about saving Daniel after learning Cherry pushed her father from a construction site, fracturing his spine in two places. —Erin Jensen, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025

Two other witnesses testified about the frantic response to the shooting. —Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 12 Sep. 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