French word

affoler

Pronunciation

IPA/afole/

Meaning

  • verbalarm

Example

La nouvelle affole tout le monde.

The news alarms everyone.

Illustration for affoler (alarm)

More examples

Le bruit soudain a affolé les enfants.

The sudden noise panicked the children.

Core concept

A sudden alarm scrambles someone's thoughts, making clear judgment give way to panic.

Common phrases

  • affoler quelqu'un

    panic someone

  • affoler tout le monde

    panic everyone

Similar words

paniquer: To throw someone into sudden, intense fear or confusion.
inquiéter: To cause someone to feel worried or anxious.
effrayer: To frighten someone and make them feel afraid.
perturber: To disturb someone's mind or situation and make them feel unsettled.

Definition in French

Provoquer la panique ou la confusion chez une personne, parfois de façon exagérée ; verbe transitif et pronominal.

Word origin

The verb comes from Old French afoler, formed with a- and fol, an old form of fou meaning 'mad'.

Usage tips

  • Affoler quelqu'un is transitive, while s'affoler describes the subject's own panic without a direct object.

Other meanings

  • flusterverb
  • panicverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word