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Glite Dictionary
😱 To panic 🌈 A wild hallucination
to freak out

to freak out

430 6.8
To become very upset or afraid suddenly and lose control
  • phrasal verb
  • /frik aʊt/
  • Informal
translation icon : entrar en pánico
  • When she saw the spider crawling on her arm, she began to freak out and scream.

So yes, they're they're very freaked out still from the alarm.

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Examples

  • But don't let that freak you out too much.

    Kyle Hill

  • He started to freak out when he realized he had lost his wallet during the trip.

  • We all freak out over someone at some point.

  • So the first thing I want you to do is do not freak out, OK?

  • You know I freak out over her so hard.

  • And the problem with that is, is that people freak out, people panic.

  • People would freak out, like, literally freak out.

  • I want to know why you and Dad are so freaked out.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • A lot of people would freak out from all of those realities, right?

    Anything Goes With James English

  • Lucas freaked out and decided to go ask the neighbors for help.

    He's Watching (2022)

Synonyms

to freak
vsto freak out
  • Informal
684 7.1

React very strongly and lose control because of fear or shock

is the same sudden loss of control focused on fear and shock
to lose it
vsto freak out
  • Informal
289 7.5

Suddenly stop controlling your feelings and become very angry or upset

focuses more narrowly on sudden anxiety or fear rather than general anger
to panic
vsto freak out
272 2.3

To feel sudden fear and lose the ability to think or act calmly

shares sudden fear but emphasizes emotional reaction rather than loss of control wording
to flip
vsto freak out
  • Informal
143 7.5

To suddenly become very angry, excited, or surprised

is more narrowly about sudden anxiety, not all strong emotions
to flip out
vsto freak out
  • Informal
49 7.2

To suddenly lose control and become very angry or upset

is similar but centers more on fear and panic than anger or excitement
to go out of one's mind
vsto freak out
  • Informal
14 7.3

To be unable to think clearly because you are very worried or upset

is usually a sudden fear-driven reaction rather than prolonged mental breakdown
to wig out
vsto freak out
  • Informal
11 9.2

React with strong fear or excitement and lose control

is equally extreme but more specifically tied to fear and shock
to jump out of one's skin
vsto freak out
  • Informal
5 7.7

To be very surprised and move suddenly because of fear

involves fear and losing emotional control over a longer reaction, not just a startle
to come unhinged
vsto freak out
  • Informal
2 8.2

To lose control of your feelings and act very upset

is closer to a sudden fearful panic, not prolonged instability
to crap one's pants
vsto freak out
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To feel very scared and almost lose control of your body

is similar but usually describes sudden anxiety rather than shock from surprise
to trip out
vsto freak out
  • Informal
1 8.6

Become very upset or excited and act confused suddenly

is similar but centers specifically on fear and anxiety rather than general emotion
to get into a tizz
vsto freak out
  • UK
1 9.6

To become very worried or upset about small things

is more about sudden intense fear and loss of control, not small worries
to bug-out
vsto freak out
  • Slang
8.8

To react suddenly with fear and lose control

matches closely but is slightly more focused on panic behavior
to chimp out
vsto freak out
  • Offensive
9.9

To panic suddenly and lose control

is similar but often describes fear without the exaggerated acting out
to go into a tizzy
vsto freak out
  • Informal
8.3

Get very upset and confused quickly

is similar but often more about acute fear rather than general agitation

Antonyms

to relax
∞ 1.0

To feel less nervous and more calm

to calm down
  • Informal
594 1.4

To become less angry, excited, or upset

How Upset

to panic
272 2.3
to lose it
  • Informal
289 7.5
to freak out
  • Informal
430 6.8
to startle
131 3.7
to upset
362 1.0

Surface Forms

freak out infinitive
freaked out past
freaked out past participle
freaking out present participle
freaks out third person singular

Morphology

freak + out

The noun 'freak out' (often written 'freak-out') is transparently related to the verb 'freak' (to react very strongly) plus the particle 'out', which typically intensifies or completes the action; a B1 learner who knows these constituents would likely infer an episode of an extreme reaction. However, the specific nuance of a drug-induced hallucination or delusion is a slang extension not directly predictable from the parts, so the meaning is only partially derivable without exposure.

Etymology

Freak out may come from the image of someone suddenly becoming a freak, acting out in a wild, uncontrolled way. So it now means 'to panic' or 'lose control' when frightened or shocked.