1
as in dump
a dirty or messy place
this room is a shambles—clean it up right now!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in mess
a state in which everything is out of order
the earthquake left the whole town in a shambles
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in shuffles
to move heavily or clumsily
disconsolate and exhausted after losing the match, the wrestler shambled toward the locker room
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shambles
Verb
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At the sound of morning prayers, an older Clarissa awakens from this dream and shuffles out to her lawn, where the leafy bush has been replaced with the industrial skyline of Lagos.
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Tristan returns home and greets James while Siegfried shuffles the woman out the window.
Verb
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In it, the man stumbles around, blinded by the sun, surrounded by insensible tourists.
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The conversation stumbles on for a few moments, but Crook can’t find the words.
Verb
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If anything, the dichotomy between the pop star who prances around Versailles in a sheer nightie and the pop star who stomps onstage in knee-high combat boots feels completely authentic and intentional.
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Suddenly, the trees part and a Tyrannosaurus rex stomps into view.
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Cite this Entry
“Shambles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shambles. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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