stampede.
A wild, headlong running away or scamper of a number of animals, usually caused by fright.
Meaning & usage
A wild, headlong running away or scamper of a number of animals, usually caused by fright.
A situation in which many people in a crowd are trying to move in the same direction at the same time, especially in consequence of a panic.
The annual Muslim Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, which is attended by millions of pilgrims, has increasingly suffered from stampedes.
An event at which cowboy skills are displayed; a rodeo.
A sudden unconcerted acting together of a number of persons due to, or as if due to, some common impulse.
a stampede toward US bonds in the credit markets
Where this word comes from
The noun is derived from Mexican Spanish estampida (“a stampede”), from Spanish estampida, estampido (“a bang, a crack (sound)”), from Old Occitan estampida, from Gothic *𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌼𐍀𐌾𐌰𐌽 (*stampjan), from Proto-Germanic *stampōną (“to compress, squeeze; to stamp”), from Proto-Indo-European *stembʰ- (“to trample down”). The verb is derived from the noun.
To cause (a drove or herd of animals) to run away or scamper in a wild, headlong manner, usually due to fright.
To cause animals (owned by a person) to run away or scamper in this manner.
To cause (people in a crowd) to move in the same direction at the same time, especially due to panic.
To cause (an individual) to act hastily or rashly.
I was stampeded into buying an unnecessary insurance against earthquakes, fires, and flooding.
To cause (people) to act in a sudden unconcerted manner due to, or as if due to, some common impulse.
Of a drove or herd of animals: to run away or scamper in a wild, headlong manner, usually due to fright.
Of people in a crowd: to move in the same direction at the same time, especially due to panic.
Of people: to act in a sudden unconcerted manner due to, or as if due to, some common impulse.
Where this word comes from
The noun is derived from Mexican Spanish estampida (“a stampede”), from Spanish estampida, estampido (“a bang, a crack (sound)”), from Old Occitan estampida, from Gothic *𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌼𐍀𐌾𐌰𐌽 (*stampjan), from Proto-Germanic *stampōną (“to compress, squeeze; to stamp”), from Proto-Indo-European *stembʰ- (“to trample down”). The verb is derived from the noun.
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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.