frantic

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈfræntɪk/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈfræntɪk/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(fran′tik)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
fran•tic /ˈfræntɪk/USA pronunciation   adj. 
  1. desperate or wild with emotion;
    frenzied:a mother frantic with worry.
  2. marked by desperate urgency:a frantic effort to rescue the mountain climbers.
fran•ti•cal•ly, adv. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
fran•tic  (fran′tik),USA pronunciation adj. 
  1. desperate or wild with excitement, passion, fear, pain, etc.;
    frenzied.
  2. [Archaic.]insane;
    mad.
  • Greek phrenētikós. See frenzy, -tic
  • Latin phrenēticus delirious
  • Old French frenetique
  • Middle English frantik, frenetik 1325–75
fran′ti•cal•ly, fran′tic•ly, adv. 
fran′tic•ness, n. 
    1. overwrought, agitated, frenzied, distraught.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
frantic /ˈfræntɪk/ adj
  1. distracted with fear, pain, joy, etc
  2. marked by or showing frenzy: frantic efforts
Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French frenetique, from Latin phrenēticus mad, freneticˈfrantically, ˈfranticly adv
'frantic' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
demoniac - frenetic - frenzy - frenzied - mad - mosh - neglect - pant - alarums and excursions - blow - demonic - desperate - fanatic - fantod - folia - hectic - manic - overwrought - panic - powder - terror - wall - wild - stir-crazy
Collocations: you sound frantic!, was frantic to [get, find, finish, escape], am frantic with [worry, rage, fear, grief], more...

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