# press the panic button

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/press-the-panic-button
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To start to panic.

## Examples

- Do not press the panic button just because the internet is slow.
- When the stock market dropped slightly, some investors began to press the panic button and sold all their shares.
- Although the project faced a minor delay, the manager urged the team to remain calm rather than press the panic button prematurely.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.