Freak out means to panic or lose control because of fear, anger or stress. With an object, the meaning changes: “freak someone out” means to scare or upset someone badly, as in Spiders freak me out. The phrase is informal and used among friends.
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freak out (about + noun/-ing); freak + person + out; be/get freaked out
- I freaked out when I couldn't find my passport an hour before the flight.
- Don't freak out about the exam; you've already done all the practice tests.
- Horror films really freak me out, so I never watch them alone at night.
What changed
First versionI was so freak out when I saw the bill at the restaurant.
RevisionI was so freaked out when I saw the bill at the restaurant.
After “was”, you need the form “freaked out”, just as in “was scared” or “was surprised”. The base form “freak out” cannot follow “was”. You can also drop “was”: I freaked out when I saw the bill.
“Freak out” is not only about fear; it can describe wild excitement too: My sister freaked out when she won the concert tickets. In essays and formal letters, use “panic” or “become very anxious” instead: Many students panic before exams.
Your turn
Walking home through the dark park at night always ___.
Show the answer
freaks me out — “Me” is a pronoun, so it goes between “freaks” and “out”: “freaks me out”. A pronoun cannot come after “out”, so “freaks out me” is a mistake.
Write to a friend about a time you panicked. Say what happened and how you solved the problem afterwards.
I freaked out when my laptop died in the middle of an online exam, but I called the support team and they gave me extra time.
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