musical chairs
noun
plural in form but singular in construction
: a game in which players march to music around a row of chairs numbering one less than the players and scramble for seats when the music stops
also
: a situation or series of events suggesting the game of musical chairs (as in rapid change or confusing activity)
Examples of musical chairs in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Issa’s current 48th District already includes much of East County and a bit of southern Riverside, which would seemingly give him an upper hand in the GOP musical chairs.
—
Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Aug. 2025
And when that happens, there will be a game of musical chairs, and Abel will likely end up in the minor leagues again.
—Eno Sarris, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
Orlando Bravo, cofounder and managing partner of $184 billion (assets) Thoma Bravo, has cautioned that in this financial game of musical chairs, retail investors who are late to the party might get saddled with continuation funds with underperforming, hard-to-sell assets.
—Hank Tucker, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
One person is seated in the middle making claims, and the people they are surrounded by have the opportunity to sprint to a seat to debate them in what feels like a politicized version of musical chairs.
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for musical chairs
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Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Aug. 2025
And when that happens, there will be a game of musical chairs, and Abel will likely end up in the minor leagues again.
—Eno Sarris, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
Orlando Bravo, cofounder and managing partner of $184 billion (assets) Thoma Bravo, has cautioned that in this financial game of musical chairs, retail investors who are late to the party might get saddled with continuation funds with underperforming, hard-to-sell assets.
—Hank Tucker, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
One person is seated in the middle making claims, and the people they are surrounded by have the opportunity to sprint to a seat to debate them in what feels like a politicized version of musical chairs.
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for musical chairs
Cite this Entry
“Musical chairs.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/musical%20chairs. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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