bedlam

noun

bed·​lam ˈbed-ləm 

1

: a place, scene, or state of uproar and confusion

There was bedlam in the streets after the verdict was announced.

2

or Bedlam : an asylum for the mentally ill

3

obsolete : madman, lunatic

Synonyms

• madhouse
• circus
• commotion

Examples of bedlam in a Sentence

The park had never had so many visitors at one time. It was total bedlam.

French physician Philippe Pinel was instrumental in the transformation of bedlams from filthy hellholes to well-ordered, humane institutions.

Recent Examples on the Web

The bedlam accompanying the group’s distribution practices, aid workers say, was entirely predictable. —Bilal Shbeir, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025

Hand 103, Bethel, 102 ½. There was bedlam, Hand kids screaming and jumping and yelling and hugging each other. —Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 4 June 2025

Amid bedlam in the stands at Old Trafford, Maguire’s intense but stoic reaction to his winner against Lyon stood out. —Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 1 May 2025

What ensued was pure bedlam at Ball Arena, the crowd going ballistic as the captain scored his first goal since June 20, 2022, in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final versus Tampa Bay. —Pierre Lebrun, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Bedlam, popular name for the Hospital of St. Mary of Bethlehem, London, an asylum for the mentally ill, from Middle English Bedlem Bethlehem

First Known Use

1522, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Kids Definition

bedlam

noun

bed·​lam ˈbed-ləm 

: a place or scene of uproar and confusion

Etymology

from Middle English Bedlem "Bethlehem"

Word Origin

Around 1402 the home of a religious community in London was turned into a hospital for the mentally ill. This new hospital kept the name of the community and was known as the Hospital of Saint Mary of Bethlehem. People soon shortened this name to Bethlehem. In Middle English, though, the town of Bethlehem in Palestine was called Bedlem or Bethlem, so this was the pronunciation used for the hospital's name. In time the name Bedlem or Bedlam came to refer to any home for the mentally ill. Today we use bedlam for any scene of noise and confusion like that found in the early hospitals for the mentally ill.