1
as in brawls
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
Relevance
2
as in hells
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for free-for-alls
Noun
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Madison Square Garden has issued a statement warning that anyone fighting at the arena could face a lifetime ban after multiple brawls broke out during an event on Friday.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
31 Jan. 2026 -
So popular were the show's brawls that Springer's head of security, Steve Wilkos, became a celebrity unto himself, resulting in his own talk show that's currently in its 19th season.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Smith stays largely mum on the news of the day, be that Kirk’s killing, or ICE raids, or whatever hells await in the coming weeks.—
Sam Kestenbaum,
Vulture,
2 Jan. 2026
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The protagonist's youth doesn't defang the story, as Silent Hill f wastes no time thrusting Hinako and her friends into their personal hells.—
Zackery Cuevas,
PC Magazine,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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Make sure to clean up spills and messes as soon as the oven cools down to prevent buildup.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
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Matching the right type of vacuum to your flooring surface and the common messes in your home can be tricky business.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Before the Lost Weekend, John and Yoko had their New York Year — turning their personal confusions into beautifully vivid moments of rage and pain.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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This is about Tom Homan and Greg Bovino and Kristi Noem and all the other immigration officials that have wrought so much unfounded havoc.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
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Expect Williams and Murphy to wreak similar havoc.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
6 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Free-for-alls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/free-for-alls. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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