# amok

/əˈmək/ (US) · /ɐmˈɒk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/amok
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 2. violent frenzy

adverb · CEFR C2 · Literary

acting in a very violent way, often trying to hurt many people.

For teachers: in a state of murderous or suicidal frenzy; historically associated with specific cultural contexts in Southeast Asia.

- The soldiers ran amok through the village, destroying everything in their path.
- The historical accounts describe a lone warrior who ran amok, driven by a sudden and inexplicable psychological break.

## Examples

- The crowd was running amok after the game ended.
- The police had to intervene quickly as the situation was running amok in the crowded stadium.
- The protagonist's descent into madness is depicted as a series of increasingly erratic actions, culminating in a state where he is running amok through the city streets.

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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.