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
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
In 1981 San Francisco, a desperate Filipino World War II veteran launches a frantic bank robbery spree to save his dying best friend, putting him on a collision course with a young, ambitious detective eager to make his mark.
—
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2025
French authorities have arrested several suspects after a frantic manhunt for the men who staged a spectacular daytime heist at the Louvre museum that gripped the world and embarrassed the government in Paris.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025
Bradley vanished half an hour later, prompting a frantic search aboard the ship.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2025
Alongside Idris as the president, the lead ensemble cast of increasingly frantic White House officials, security advisors and senior military figures includes the likes of Rebecca Ferguson, Greta Lee, Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Jason Clarke and Tracy Letts.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frantic
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Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2025
French authorities have arrested several suspects after a frantic manhunt for the men who staged a spectacular daytime heist at the Louvre museum that gripped the world and embarrassed the government in Paris.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025
Bradley vanished half an hour later, prompting a frantic search aboard the ship.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2025
Alongside Idris as the president, the lead ensemble cast of increasingly frantic White House officials, security advisors and senior military figures includes the likes of Rebecca Ferguson, Greta Lee, Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Jason Clarke and Tracy Letts.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frantic
Cite this Entry
“Frantic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frantic. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
franticly
adverb
-i-klē
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