free-for-all 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of free-for-allnext
as in public
freely available for use or participation by all the public library has a free-for-all lending policy

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

free-for-all

2 of 2

noun

ˈfrē-fə-ˌrȯl How to pronounce free-for-all (audio)
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of free-for-all
Noun
But along with Dodd’s stewardship of AAU came criticism that the fast-growing organization was becoming a free-for-all. — Molly Hensley-Clancy, ProPublica, 13 Aug. 2026 Such a scenario would reward first-movers with market dominance, creating a global free-for-all as developers push boundaries. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026 The change set off a free-for-all this time around, as a dozen states bid for the chance to vote first. — Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026 The format is unlikely to affect the policy decision, and 19 participants is a large group for a free-for-all conversation. — Steve Liesman, CNBC, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for free-for-all
Recent Examples of Synonyms for free-for-all
  1. public
  2. brawl
  3. jumble
  4. open
  5. havoc
  6. unrestricted
  7. chaos
  8. hell
Adjective
  • However, the bill would also preempt certain state requirements covering public risk disclosures, independent evaluations, and critical incident reporting.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
  • In ten countries, interest payments eclipse the entire public investment budget.
    — Masood Ahmed, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of public
Noun
  • Doing so after a postgame brawl that made national news could be even tougher.
    — Jack Leo, AJC.com, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The brawl began when the players were shaking hands, just after Grayson defeated Carol City 10-9.
    — Austin Horn, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of brawl
Noun
  • Arches and natural bridges sweep like buttresses from jumbles of rock, giving this landscape a mystical, cathedral-like quality.
    — Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk.
    — Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of jumble
Adjective
  • Salvia Terrace & Bar is open daily for breakfast and lunch, while Violetto serves dinner Wednesday through Sunday.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Making payments on time, paying down credit card balances and keeping older accounts open when practical may help strengthen your credit profile over time.
    — Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of open
Noun
  • The Misfits Complementing spring’s embrace of graphic havoc is an intriguing offness of fit, as seen at Jil Sander, Givenchy, and Lii.
    — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Deleting a second has never previously been attempted and could create havoc in today’s digitally time-stamped world.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of havoc
Adjective
  • Cunningham is headed toward unrestricted free agency after two seasons with Indiana.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Opening the show, model Dyanira Hurbuscher walked in a sheer look — a bra hinting at the boning seen in Edwardian-era corsetry, but completely softened and unrestricted (Gabrielle famously rejected the stiff fashion rules of her time).
    — Fiona Sinclair Scott, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of unrestricted
Noun
  • At an intersection in Hyde Park that, days earlier, had been the scene of chaos — a young girl on the ground, a car with a teenage boy on the windshield, a mother screaming — Jonathan Hale led his band of rebels.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The banquet hall was total chaos, packed with people who shoved their way toward the front, trying to bribe the hostess for a table with red envelopes.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of chaos
Noun
  • This dilemma is causing one hell of an identity crisis for our hero, thus throwing everything in his inner world out of whack.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The series followed the Brannock family who moved into what was supposed to be their suburban dream home, and quickly became a living hell.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of hell

Browse Nearby Words

free-floating
free-for-all
free-for-alls
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Cite this Entry

“Free-for-all.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/free-for-all. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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