free-for-all

noun

: a competition, dispute, or fight open to all comers and usually with no rules : brawl
also : a chaotic situation resembling a free-for-all especially in lacking rules or structure
the press conference deteriorated into a free-for-all
free-for-all adjective

Examples of free-for-all in a Sentence

during the play-offs, fans of the opposing teams clashed in the streets in several free-for-alls it was a free-for-all when the doors to the arena opened and the crowd rushed in all at once
Recent Examples on the Web The Constitution is for a Limited Government of Enumerated Powers, not a free-for-all of handouts and entitlements leading to uncontrollable deficits. Nathan Lewis, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024 The longtime app free-for-all is coming to an end, with a Play Store cull and tightening of restrictions around sideloading now hitting users, and Play Protect soon to be enhanced with Android 15’s live threat detection. Zak Doffman, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024 Palmer also reacts to that impromptu pickleball free-for-all on the series premiere. Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 20 Sep. 2024 Insiders at newly public companies approaching the end of a lockup period will often communicate with the board to devise a plan to sell their stake incrementally over time and avoid a free-for-all in the market, according to Michael Ewens, a finance professor at Columbia Business School. Bypaolo Confino, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for free-for-all 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'free-for-all.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of free-for-all was in 1874

Dictionary Entries Near free-for-all

Cite this Entry

“Free-for-all.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/free-for-all. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

free-for-all

noun
ˈfrē-fə-ˌrȯl
: a competition or fight open to all comers usually without rules
free-for-all adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on free-for-all

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