Sometimes, people feel nervous or scared when something unexpected happens. This feeling is called panicking. It can happen before a test, during a big game, or when something goes wrong. People don’t always say “I’m panicking.” Instead, they use special phrases called idioms to show how they feel.
Idioms are expressions that don’t mean exactly what the words say. They help make speech more interesting and fun. In this lesson, you’ll learn idioms that people use when they feel panic. You’ll also see examples and get to answer questions to check your understanding.
Idioms for Panicking
1. Break out in a sweat
Meaning: To feel very nervous or scared suddenly.
Sample Sentences: When he saw the test, he broke out in a sweat. / She broke out in a sweat before the big game.
Other Way to Say: Get nervous fast / Start to feel scared
2. Jump out of your skin
Meaning: To be very shocked or scared.
Sample Sentences: I jumped out of my skin when the loud noise happened. / He jumped out of his skin during the surprise party.
Other Way to Say: Get really startled / Be very surprised
3. Lose your cool
Meaning: To get very upset or scared and stop being calm.
Sample Sentences: She lost her cool when she couldn’t find her dog. / He lost his cool during the fire drill.
Other Way to Say: Get upset quickly / Lose calmness
4. Have butterflies in your stomach
Meaning: To feel nervous or anxious about something.
Sample Sentences: I had butterflies in my stomach before my speech. / She always has butterflies before a soccer match.
Other Way to Say: Feel nervous / Be anxious
5. Freak out
Meaning: To suddenly become very scared or upset.
Sample Sentences: He freaked out when he saw the big spider. / Don’t freak out if you lose your homework.
Other Way to Say: Get scared fast / Lose control
6. Get cold feet
Meaning: To suddenly feel too scared to do something planned.
Sample Sentences: She got cold feet before her dance recital. / I got cold feet about going on the roller coaster.
Other Way to Say: Feel too scared / Change your mind because of fear
7. Panic like a cat on a hot tin roof
Meaning: To panic or be very nervous in a quick, jumpy way.
Sample Sentences: He panicked like a cat on a hot tin roof when the fire alarm rang. / She was panicking like a cat on a hot tin roof before the test.
Other Way to Say: Be jumpy / Act nervously
8. Lose your head
Meaning: To panic and stop thinking clearly.
Sample Sentences: Don’t lose your head during the emergency. / He lost his head when he saw the dog running at him.
Other Way to Say: Panic / Get confused
9. Have a meltdown
Meaning: To lose control because of stress or panic.
Sample Sentences: She had a meltdown when she couldn’t finish her homework. / He had a meltdown after the basketball game.
Other Way to Say: Break down / Lose control
10. Fly into a panic
Meaning: To suddenly become very afraid or worried.
Sample Sentences: I flew into a panic when I forgot my lines on stage. / She flew into a panic when she thought she lost her phone.
Other Way to Say: Get scared quickly / Freak out suddenly
11. Shake like a leaf
Meaning: To tremble because of fear or nervousness.
Sample Sentences: I was shaking like a leaf before my dentist appointment. / He shook like a leaf when he saw the thunderstorm.
Other Way to Say: Tremble with fear / Be very nervous
12. Have your heart race
Meaning: To have a fast heartbeat because of fear or excitement.
Sample Sentences: My heart raced when the roller coaster dropped. / Her heart raced before the big game.
Other Way to Say: Feel your heart beat fast / Be excited or scared
13. Hit the roof
Meaning: To suddenly become very angry or scared.
Sample Sentences: He hit the roof when he lost his phone. / She hit the roof after seeing the mess in her room.
Other Way to Say: Get very mad / Lose control
14. Lose your head
Meaning: To get confused or scared and stop thinking clearly.
Sample Sentences: He lost his head when the fire alarm went off. / Don’t lose your head during the test.
Other Way to Say: Get confused / Panic
15. Go off the deep end
Meaning: To react with too much panic or anger.
Sample Sentences: She went off the deep end when her bike got stolen. / Don’t go off the deep end if you fail a quiz.
Other Way to Say: Overreact / Get too upset
16. Break down
Meaning: To suddenly cry or get upset because of fear or stress.
Sample Sentences: He broke down when he lost his pet. / She broke down after the scary movie.
Other Way to Say: Cry suddenly / Get very upset
17. Go into a tailspin
Meaning: To lose control because you are scared or worried.
Sample Sentences: He went into a tailspin after hearing the bad news. / She went into a tailspin before the big game.
Other Way to Say: Lose control / Get very worried
18. Flip out
Meaning: To become very upset or scared suddenly.
Sample Sentences: She flipped out when she couldn’t find her keys. / Don’t flip out if you forget your homework.
Other Way to Say: Freak out / Lose calmness
19. Shake like a leaf
Meaning: To tremble because of fear or nervousness.
Sample Sentences: He was shaking like a leaf before his speech. / She shook like a leaf when she saw the big dog.
Other Way to Say: Tremble with fear / Be very nervous
20. Lose your nerve
Meaning: To suddenly feel too scared to do something.
Sample Sentences: I lost my nerve and didn’t jump off the diving board. / She lost her nerve right before the play started.
Other Way to Say: Get scared / Change your mind because of fear
21. Blow a fuse
Meaning: To suddenly get very angry or scared.
Sample Sentences: He blew a fuse when his computer crashed. / She blew a fuse when her phone stopped working.
Other Way to Say: Get mad quickly / Lose control
22. Have a meltdown
Meaning: To lose control and get very upset or scared.
Sample Sentences: He had a meltdown after missing the bus. / She had a meltdown when her game froze.
Other Way to Say: Lose control / Get very upset
23. Get your wires crossed
Meaning: To get confused, often leading to panic.
Sample Sentences: I got my wires crossed and missed the meeting. / She got her wires crossed and thought the test was tomorrow.
Other Way to Say: Get confused / Misunderstand
24. Flip your lid
Meaning: To suddenly become very angry or scared.
Sample Sentences: He flipped his lid when he lost his wallet. / She flipped her lid after the surprise test.
Other Way to Say: Lose temper / Get upset
25. Go bananas
Meaning: To act crazy because of fear or excitement.
Sample Sentences: The crowd went bananas after the winning goal. / I went bananas when I saw the big spider.
Other Way to Say: Freak out / Act wild
26. Get worked up
Meaning: To become very upset or nervous.
Sample Sentences: Don’t get worked up over a small mistake. / She got worked up before her dance recital.
Other Way to Say: Get nervous / Get upset
27. Have a fit
Meaning: To suddenly get very angry or upset.
Sample Sentences: He had a fit when he lost his shoes. / She had a fit after spilling juice on her homework.
Other Way to Say: Lose temper / Get upset
28. Go haywire
Meaning: To stop working or become out of control because of panic.
Sample Sentences: My computer went haywire during the test. / She went haywire when she couldn’t find her ticket.
Other Way to Say: Break down / Lose control
29. Have cold sweat
Meaning: To feel scared and nervous with sweating.
Sample Sentences: He had a cold sweat before the big game. / She had a cold sweat when the thunder started.
Other Way to Say: Be very scared / Feel nervous
30. Flip the switch
Meaning: To suddenly change from calm to panicked or angry.
Sample Sentences: He flipped the switch when he saw the broken bike. / She flipped the switch after the surprise test.
Other Way to Say: Lose calm / React suddenly
31. Blow your top
Meaning: To suddenly become very angry or upset.
Sample Sentences: He blew his top when his video game stopped working. / She blew her top after the messy room.
Other Way to Say: Get very mad / Lose temper
32. Get jittery
Meaning: To feel nervous or scared.
Sample Sentences: I get jittery before every big test. / She gets jittery when she has to speak in front of the class.
Other Way to Say: Feel nervous / Be anxious
33. Lose your marbles
Meaning: To act crazy or confused because of panic or stress.
Sample Sentences: He lost his marbles when he forgot his homework. / Don’t lose your marbles if things get hard.
Other Way to Say: Act confused / Lose control
34. Panic button pressed
Meaning: To feel sudden fear or stress that makes you act fast.
Sample Sentences: My panic button pressed when I saw the storm coming. / She pressed the panic button when she got lost.
Other Way to Say: Feel sudden fear / Act quickly out of fear
35. Freeze up
Meaning: To stop moving or thinking because of fear or panic.
Sample Sentences: He froze up during the test when he forgot the answer. / She froze up when she saw the big dog.
Other Way to Say: Stop moving / Be too scared to act
36. Go ballistic
Meaning: To suddenly get very angry or scared.
Sample Sentences: He went ballistic when his bike got a flat tire. / She went ballistic after losing her phone.
Other Way to Say: Lose your temper / Get very upset
37. Have cold feet
Meaning: To feel scared and want to back out at the last moment.
Sample Sentences: I had cold feet before my first school dance. / She had cold feet about riding the roller coaster.
Other Way to Say: Feel scared / Change your mind
38. Get in a tizzy
Meaning: To get very worried or upset over something small.
Sample Sentences: Don’t get in a tizzy about the broken pencil. / She got in a tizzy when she lost her book.
Other Way to Say: Get worked up / Become upset
39. Lose it
Meaning: To lose control of your feelings because of panic or anger.
Sample Sentences: He lost it when he missed the bus. / She lost it after the big surprise.
Other Way to Say: Break down / Get upset
40. Blow your stack
Meaning: To suddenly get very angry or scared.
Sample Sentences: He blew his stack after the game was canceled. / She blew her stack when the computer froze.
Other Way to Say: Lose your temper / Get mad
41. Have a cow
Meaning: To get very upset or scared.
Sample Sentences: My mom had a cow when I broke the vase. / Don’t have a cow just because of a small mistake.
Other Way to Say: Get upset / Freak out
42. Break out in a cold sweat
Meaning: To suddenly feel very scared or nervous and sweat.
Sample Sentences: I broke out in a cold sweat before the math test. / She broke out in a cold sweat when the lights went out.
Other Way to Say: Get very nervous / Feel scared
43. Spin out of control
Meaning: To lose control because of fear or panic.
Sample Sentences: The meeting spun out of control when the speaker got upset. / She spun out of control when she forgot her lines.
Other Way to Say: Lose control / Get out of hand
44. Freak out like crazy
Meaning: To get extremely scared or upset.
Sample Sentences: I freaked out like crazy when the dog barked. / She freaked out like crazy before the test results.
Other Way to Say: Panic badly / Get very scared
45. Lose your mind
Meaning: To get very confused or scared.
Sample Sentences: He lost his mind when he couldn’t find his keys. / Don’t lose your mind if things go wrong.
Other Way to Say: Get confused / Panic
46. Go nuts
Meaning: To act crazy because of fear or excitement.
Sample Sentences: The crowd went nuts when the team scored. / I went nuts when I saw the big surprise.
Other Way to Say: Freak out / Act wild
47. Panic like a chicken with its head cut off
Meaning: To act very scared and confused all at once.
Sample Sentences: He panicked like a chicken with its head cut off when he lost his way. / She panicked like a chicken with its head cut off before the test.
Other Way to Say: Act crazy / Panic wildly
48. Have a nervous breakdown
Meaning: To feel very stressed and upset and not be able to handle it.
Sample Sentences: He had a nervous breakdown before the big game. / She almost had a nervous breakdown when she lost her project.
Other Way to Say: Get very stressed / Break down emotionally
49. Flip your wig
Meaning: To suddenly get very upset or scared.
Sample Sentences: He flipped his wig when his phone stopped working. / She flipped her wig after hearing the bad news.
Other Way to Say: Lose your temper / Get upset
50. Get rattled
Meaning: To feel nervous or scared and get confused.
Sample Sentences: I got rattled when the fire alarm went off. / She got rattled during her first speech.
Other Way to Say: Get nervous / Lose focus
51. Lose your balance
Meaning: To become confused or scared and act strangely.
Sample Sentences: He lost his balance when the big test started. / She lost her balance after hearing the bad news.
Other Way to Say: Get confused / Panic
52. Jump the gun
Meaning: To act too fast because of panic or excitement.
Sample Sentences: He jumped the gun and started the race early. / Don’t jump the gun before you hear the full plan.
Other Way to Say: Act too soon / Hurry too much
53. Go out of your mind
Meaning: To get very scared or confused.
Sample Sentences: I went out of my mind when I lost my wallet. / She went out of her mind before the big test.
Other Way to Say: Panic / Get very confused
54. Wig out
Meaning: To lose control and get very upset or scared.
Sample Sentences: He wigged out when the power went out. / She wigged out before her presentation.
Other Way to Say: Freak out / Lose control
55. Have your heart in your mouth
Meaning: To feel very scared or nervous.
Sample Sentences: I had my heart in my mouth during the scary movie. / She had her heart in her mouth waiting for the test results.
Other Way to Say: Feel scared / Be very nervous
Multiple Choice Quiz: Idioms for Panicking
1. What does the idiom “lose your cool” mean?
A. Stay calm in a tough moment
B. Get really nervous or upset
C. Feel cold because of fear
2. If someone “freaks out” during a game, what are they likely doing?
A. Falling asleep
B. Staying focused
C. Panicking or yelling
3. What does it mean if you “have butterflies in your stomach”?
A. You feel full from lunch
B. You’re excited or nervous
C. You got stung by bugs
4. If a classmate “goes to pieces” after losing a paper, what happened?
A. They calmly rewrote it
B. They became very upset
C. They left it at home
5. What does “flip out” mean in this sentence: “He flipped out when the lights went off”?
A. He laughed and clapped
B. He got really scared or panicked
C. He sat quietly and read a book
6. What happens when someone “chickens out”?
A. They face their fear
B. They run away or quit because they’re scared
C. They get a prize for being brave
7. What does “run around like a chicken with its head cut off” mean?
A. Stay calm and still
B. Run fast because of excitement
C. Act wild and panicked without focus
8. “Jumping out of your skin” usually happens when you are—
A. Very bored
B. Totally relaxed
C. Shocked or scared suddenly
9. What does “break down” mean when someone is stressed?
A. To start crying or get emotional
B. To fall asleep
C. To fix a broken toy
10. What does it mean if someone is “in a flap” before a show?
A. They are very excited
B. They are feeling confused or panicked
C. They are flying a kite
11. What does the phrase “be in a state” mean in this sentence: “She was in a state after losing her phone”?
A. She was in New York
B. She was calm and focused
C. She was upset or worried
12. What does “lose it” mean in a panic situation?
A. Misplace something
B. Start laughing
C. Lose control from stress
Answer Key
- B. Get really nervous or upset
- C. Panicking or yelling
- B. You’re excited or nervous
- B. They became very upset
- B. He got really scared or panicked
- B. They run away or quit because they’re scared
- C. Act wild and panicked without focus
- C. Shocked or scared suddenly
- A. To start crying or get emotional
- B. They are feeling confused or panicked
- C. She was upset or worried
- C. Lose control from stress
Scoring Guide
- 12 Correct Answers: Love Idiom Master!
You really understand how people speak when they panic. - 8–11 Correct Answers: Well on your way to understanding love idioms.
Great job! You’ve learned a lot about how people show fear. - 4–7 Correct Answers: Room for improvement, but you’re getting there!
Keep learning. These idioms will start to make more sense soon. - 0–3 Correct Answers: Let’s explore the world of love idioms together.
It’s okay. Idioms can be tricky at first. Try reading the examples again.
Conclusion
Panic can happen to anyone, especially during tough or surprising moments. Idioms help us talk about those feelings in fun and clear ways. Now you know many phrases people use when they feel nervous, scared, or stressed.
Keep paying attention to how these idioms are used in everyday life. Understanding them will help you become a better reader, writer, and listener.
