as in public
freely available for use or participation by all
the public library has a free-for-all lending policy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in brawl
a rough and often noisy fight usually involving several people
during the play-offs, fans of the opposing teams clashed in the streets in several free-for-alls
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in jumble
a state in which everything is out of order
it was a free-for-all when the doors to the arena opened and the crowd rushed in all at once
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of free-for-all
Adrian Wooldridge, Twin Cities, 6 Dec. 2025
Beckert tries to tame the sense of a conceptual free-for-all by partitioning the evolution of capitalism into periods of punctuated equilibrium.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
The shift marks the end of the pandemic’s geographic free-for-all.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
Warner Brothers set off a media free-for-all Tuesday.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for free-for-all
Noun
Hostile powers, particularly Russia, are using this free-for-all to inject lies, designed to inflame antagonisms or simply muddy the waters, into the bloodstream of democracy.
—Adrian Wooldridge, Twin Cities, 6 Dec. 2025
Beckert tries to tame the sense of a conceptual free-for-all by partitioning the evolution of capitalism into periods of punctuated equilibrium.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
The shift marks the end of the pandemic’s geographic free-for-all.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
Warner Brothers set off a media free-for-all Tuesday.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for free-for-all
Recent Examples of Synonyms for free-for-all
Adjective
-
The Trust for Public Land releases a yearly ranking of major cities in the US based on their residents’ access to public recreation areas – the city of Los Angeles ranks an embarrassing 90th, highlighting that access is undoubtedly a concern.—
Rafael Perez,
Daily News,
16 Jan. 2026
-
In each case, agents shot at drivers or into moving cars – a practice that has largely been discouraged by law enforcement because of risks to public safety.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Investigators aren't saying if there's a connection between Henderson's death and brawls at the bar.—
Ross Guidotti,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The reminder didn’t dissuade at least five park visitors from participating in a 2023 brawl that was captured on video, showing a woman and man throwing punches at each other and wrestling before others joined in.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The result also spotlights conference championships’ awkward fit in the current system, particularly given the fact that conference expansion has led to jumbles atop each league’s standings.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
7 Dec. 2025
-
Ray’s most chaotic photograms—jumbles that push out of the frame or look like time bombs ready to explode—find echoes in his films, projected on the back walls, a show in themselves.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Here are the 31 open spaces — and the reasons they were chosen — that were featured in this series from the people highlighted in 2025.—
Carlos Rico,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Jan. 2026
-
The system continuously evolves through modern open systems architecture and system modularity.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Max wreaks some more havoc after the excursion by gunning it on the tender while towing guests on the tube.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Police officers stationed downtown that night quickly apprehended Edgar amid the havoc of the crowd fleeing for their lives.—
Cristóbal Reyes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Dallas also wants to keep running back Javonte Williams, who will be an unrestricted free agent.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Rozier, who the Charlotte Hornets traded to the Heat in January 2024, is set to become an unrestricted free agent this upcoming offseason.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Later, Venezuelans fled economic chaos and lawlessness under the repressive regimes of Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chavez.—
Anthony Man,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The sun in Capricorn dictates a show that speaks to the need for order in times of chaos, as well as the hierarchy of the mob family and the rules required to be a member.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
They were doomed to perish in the fires of hell.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Shown with a gun in hand and looking disheveled, Creasy seems like he’s been through hell and back.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Free-for-all.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/free-for-all. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
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