A stampede is a sudden, panicked rush of animals or people all running in the same direction, usually because they're frightened. When something startles a herd of buffalo or cattle, they might bolt together in a thundering stampede, trampling anything in their path. The ground shakes, dust fills the air, and the animals move as one terrified mass.

Stampedes happen because fear spreads through a group like wildfire. One animal's panic triggers the next, and soon the whole herd is running without thinking. The same thing can happen with people: if someone yells “Fire!” in a crowded theater, people might stampede toward the exits, pushing and shoving dangerously.

The word also describes any sudden rush or surge. During Black Friday sales, shoppers might stampede into stores when the doors open. When a popular video game gets released, kids might stampede to buy it. In these cases, people aren't literally panicking, but they're all rushing eagerly toward the same thing at once.

The key element of a stampede is that individuals stop thinking independently. They just follow the momentum of the crowd, which can make stampedes dangerous whether you're talking about frightened cattle or excited shoppers.