adv
amok
uh-MOK
adv
1
In a wild, uncontrolled, or violent manner (usually in the phrase "run amok").
"The toddlers ran amok through the living room."
"Rumors ran amok on social media within hours."
How to Use Amok
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBehaving wildly and out of control, as in the fixed phrase "run amok".
Common mistake
Almost always used with "run" — "amok" rarely stands alone in modern English.
Common pairings
run amok
Word Forms
more amok comparative, amoked past tense, amoks plural, amoks singular, most amok superlative
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The toddlers ran _____ through the living room.
Etymology
Borrowed via Portuguese from Malay amuk, "to attack in a murderous frenzy" — the term entered English descriptions of Southeast Asia as early as the 1500s.