# deer in the headlights

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. A person in a mental state of high arousal caused by anxiety, fear, panic, surprise, confusion, or substance abuse.
2. A person with a stunned or glazed expression.

## Etymology
From the image of a deer caught in a car's headlights – wide-open eyes, lack of motor reactions, etc.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-09-03.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/deer-in-the-headlights