- To experience a sudden, intense emotional reaction, typically panic, anxiety, anger, or excitement.
- It implies losing emotional control temporarily.
Explanation
Origin
- Emerged in American slang around the 1960s, associated with psychedelic drug culture (freaking out on LSD).
- Also linked to the term freak (an unusual or strange person), implying behaving in a wild or uncontrolled way.
- It moved into mainstream usage to describe any strong, sudden emotional outburst or panic.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- Wig out (Similar to freak out, perhaps slightly more dated)
- Lose your cool (Become angry or upset)
- Go ballistic / Go postal (Extreme anger/loss of control)
- Spaz out (Considered offensive by many due to association with 'spastic', avoid)
Vulgar/Emphatic:
- Fucking freak out
- Lose your shit (Often implies anger or panic)
Milder:
- Get upset / Get anxious / Get angry / Get excited
- Become agitated
- Overreact
Situational Appropriateness
- Informal. Very common in casual conversation.
- Generally avoid in formal settings, unless perhaps describing a past event neutrally (The sudden news caused some people to freak out initially). Using panic or become very upset is safer.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- The main ambiguity lies in *which* strong emotion is involved (panic, anger, excitement). Context is usually key.
Examples
- Don't freak out, but I lost the tickets.
- She freaked out when she saw the spider. (Panic/fear)
- He freaked out at the driver who cut him off. (Anger)
- The crowd freaked out when the band came on stage. (Excitement)
Dialogue
Person A: Guess what? I got the job!
Person B: No way! Oh my god! (Jumping up and down) I'm totally freaking out! That's amazing!
Person A: I know, right? I couldn't believe it when they called!
Parent: Where have you been? It's past curfew! I was starting to freak out!
Teenager: Sorry, Mom, my phone died. I lost track of time.
Parent: Well, next time, find a way to call! Don't make me worry like that.
Social Media Examples
- Tweet: Just saw the trailer for the new Marvel movie and I am officially FREAKING OUT!!! #Marvel #Excited
- Instagram Story: Selfie looking stressed, text: My laptop just died mid-project. Trying not to freak out. Send help. 😠#TechFail #Deadline
- Comment: OMG congrats on the engagement! I'd freak out with happiness too! 🎉
Response Patterns
- If someone tells you not to freak out: Okay, okay, what happened? / Why? What's wrong? (Often followed by mild freaking out anyway).
- If describing someone else freaking out: Oh wow! / Seriously? / What happened next?
- If someone is freaking out: Calm down! / Take deep breaths. / It's okay. / What's wrong?
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After someone freaks out (or is told not to):
- Ask: What caused it? / Are you okay now? / What happened?
- Action: Try to calm the person, understand the cause, address the situation.
Conversation Starter
- No. Describes a reaction, not an opener.
Intonation
- Stress usually falls on out. Don't freak OUT.
- The tone varies with the emotion: high-pitched for panic/excitement, sharp for anger.
Generation Differences
- Widely used and understood across most generations, especially from Gen X onwards. Very common among younger people.
Regional Variations
- Common in American English. Also widely used and understood in other English-speaking regions.