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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Instead, next up is the free-for-all that follows the draft as teams stock summer rosters with undrafted free agents. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 27 June 2025 And then the free-for-all begins Monday afternoon, though nothing will be official with free agency, sign-and-trades and the like until next Sunday. Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 26 June 2025 The commission’s members said this would bring a coordinated approach, avoiding a free-for-all in which investors snap up properties and make new homes unaffordable for displaced people. Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025 And while my guests and I made building our board a free-for-all experience, Delp has a few ideas on really turning it into an event. Bryce Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for free-for-all

Word History

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined above

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Free-for-all.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/free-for-all. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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