stampede

1 of 2

noun

stam·​pede (ˌ)stam-ˈpēd How to pronounce stampede (audio)
1
: a wild headlong rush or flight of frightened animals
2
: a mass movement of people at a common impulse
3
: an extended festival combining a rodeo with exhibitions, contests, and social events

stampede

2 of 2

verb

stampeded; stampeding

transitive verb

1
: to cause to run away in headlong panic
2
: to cause (a group or mass of people) to act on sudden or rash impulse

intransitive verb

1
: to flee headlong in panic
2
: to act on mass impulse
stampeder noun

Examples of stampede in a Sentence

Noun a stampede to the exits a stampede to buy the stock a stampede of new applicants Verb People stampeded to the exits. The gunshot stampeded the cattle.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Without inside information, bettors probably suspected that others must know something about the next pope’s identity, setting off a stampede, Sethi concluded. Andrew Ross Sorkin, New York Times, 19 May 2025 Before Cassie's lawsuit, Combs boasted a complex legal history dating back to the deadly City College stampede of 1991, which resulted in the deaths of nine people aged 15 to 28 years old. Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 13 May 2025
Verb
Buffalo stampede The thing to know: The Dolphins, as usual, will be stampeded by Buffalo twice. Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 15 May 2025 That year, Tehran officially questioned the ability of the Saudis to manage and secure the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca—a critical pillar of Saudi legitimacy—after the Hajj Mina stampede in Mecca that year killed hundreds of Iranian pilgrims (and thousands overall). Payam Mohseni, Foreign Affairs, 24 Jan. 2017 See All Example Sentences for stampede

Word History

Etymology

Noun

American Spanish estampida, from Spanish, crash, from estampar to stamp, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German stampfōn to stamp

First Known Use

Noun

1828, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1838, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stampede was in 1828

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stampede.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stampede. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

stampede

1 of 2 noun
stam·​pede stam-ˈpēd How to pronounce stampede (audio)
1
: a wild rush or flight of frightened animals
2
: a sudden movement of a crowd of people

stampede

2 of 2 verb
stampeded; stampeding
1
: to run away or cause (as cattle) to run away in panic
2
: to act together or cause to act together suddenly and without thought
Etymology

Noun

from a word in the Spanish of Mexico and the American Southwest, estampida "stampede," from Spanish estampida "a crash, loud noise," from estamper "to pound, stamp"

More from Merriam-Webster on stampede

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!