Phrase guide

freak out

noun · verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A negative or unpleasant experience with LSD or another psychedelic drug.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated, slang

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: bummer, bum trip

2

verb

Meaning 2

To react with extreme anger or fear, to the extent that one loses one's composure or behaves irrationally.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal, intransitive

Examples

  • When Peter saw the nail poking up through his foot, he freaked out and started hyperventilating.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: set one's hair on fire, flip out, flip shit, flip one's shit

Antonyms: bum out

3

verb

Meaning 3

To scare or unnerve someone.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal, transitive

Examples

  • Don't take off your shirt when working behind the counter. You'll freak the customers out.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To be upset or nervous; to be scared or unnerved.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal, intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To adopt an unconventional (especially countercultural) persona or appearance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal, intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

a wild delusion (especially one induced by a hallucinogenic drug)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: disorientation

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: delusion, hallucination

7

verb

Meaning 7

lose one's nerve

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • When he saw the accident, he freaked out

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: freak, gross out

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: panic

History

Etymology

From freak + out. Countercultural slang, originally referring to a positive reaction or experience from the use of a psychotropic, usually a hallucinogenic or psychedelic drug. First use appears c. 1966 in several newspapers, particularly in the Independent (Long Beach, California).

Across languages

Translations

71 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: خرج عن طوره — react with anger or fear
  • Catalan: ratllar-se — react with anger or fear
  • Chinese Mandarin: 發瘋 /发疯 (fāfēng) — react with anger or fear
  • Chinese Mandarin: 嚇壞 /吓坏 (xiàhuài) — react with anger or fear
  • Czech: ztratit hlavu — react with anger or fear
  • Czech: zpanikařit — react with anger or fear
  • Czech: vyšilovat — react with anger or fear
  • Czech: šílet — react with anger or fear
  • Czech: začít šílet — react with anger or fear
  • Czech: vyděsit se — react with anger or fear
  • Danish: flippe ud — react with anger or fear
  • Dutch: doordraaien — react with anger or fear
  • Esperanto: konsterniĝi — react with anger or fear
  • Finnish: seota — react with anger or fear
  • Finnish: pimahtaa — react with anger or fear
  • Finnish: raivostua — react with anger or fear
  • French: s'affoler — react with anger or fear
  • French: disjoncter — react with anger or fear
  • French: flipper — react with anger or fear
  • French: paniquer — react with anger or fear
  • German: ausflippen — react with anger or fear
  • German: durchdrehen — react with anger or fear
  • German: ausrasten — react with anger or fear
  • Hungarian: megőrül — react with anger or fear
  • Hungarian: bedilizik — react with anger or fear
  • Italian: dare di matto — react with anger or fear
  • Italian: sclerare — react with anger or fear
  • Japanese: 腹が立つ (haragatatsu) — react with anger or fear
  • Korean: 빡치다 (ppakchida) — react with anger or fear
  • Korean: 지랄하다 (jiralhada) — react with anger or fear
  • Polish: panikować — react with anger or fear
  • Polish: spanikować — react with anger or fear
  • Portuguese: surtar — react with anger or fear
  • Russian: выходи́ть из себя́ (vyxodítʹ iz sebjá) — react with anger or fear
  • Russian: вы́йти из себя́ (výjti iz sebjá) — react with anger or fear
  • Russian: обалдева́ть (obaldevátʹ) — react with anger or fear
  • Russian: обалде́ть (obaldétʹ) — react with anger or fear
  • Russian: офигева́ть (ofigevátʹ) — react with anger or fear
  • Russian: офиге́ть (ofigétʹ) — react with anger or fear
  • Russian: охуева́ть (oxujevátʹ) — react with anger or fear
  • Russian: охуе́ть (oxujétʹ) — react with anger or fear
  • Spanish: rayarse — react with anger or fear
  • Spanish: trastornarse — react with anger or fear
  • Spanish: friquearse — react with anger or fear
  • Spanish: encojonar — react with anger or fear
  • Spanish: escandalizarse — react with anger or fear
  • Turkish: çıldırmak — react with anger or fear
  • Ukrainian: виходити з себе (vyxodyty z sebe) — react with anger or fear
  • Vietnamese: hoảng loạn — react with anger or fear
  • Chinese Mandarin: 嚇 /吓 (xià) — scare someone
  • Chinese Mandarin: 嚇唬 /吓唬 (xiàhu) — scare someone
  • Chinese Mandarin: 嚇死 /吓死 (xiàsǐ) — scare someone
  • Esperanto: konsterni — scare someone
  • Finnish: pelottaa — scare someone
  • French: faire flipper — scare someone
  • French: faire paniquer — scare someone
  • Italian: intimorire — scare someone
  • Italian: spaventare — scare someone
  • Japanese: 怖がらせる (kowagaraseru) — scare someone
  • Korean: 겁주다 (geopjuda) — scare someone
  • Polish: straszyć — scare someone
  • Polish: przestraszać — scare someone
  • Polish: przestraszyć — scare someone
  • Portuguese: amedrontar — scare someone
  • Portuguese: assustar — scare someone
  • Russian: пуга́ть (pugátʹ) — scare someone
  • Russian: напуга́ть (napugátʹ) — scare someone
  • Russian: испуга́ть (ispugátʹ) — scare someone
  • Spanish: friquear — scare someone
  • Spanish: enloquecer — scare someone
  • Ukrainian: лякати (ljakaty) — scare someone