1
as in hurried
acting or done with excessive or careless speed
a bill that was pushed through committee in a last-minute helter-skelter burst of legislative activity
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in random
lacking a definite plan, purpose, or pattern
papers, books, and unopened mail were stacked helter-skelter on the desk
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in frantically
in a confused and reckless manner
the sheep ran helter-skelter inside their pen when the coyote appeared in their midst
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2
as in randomly
without definite aim, direction, rule, or method
goods arranged helter-skelter on the shelves of the variety store
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity
in the helter-skelter at the amusement park the child got separated from his parents
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of helter-skelter
The Enquirer, 25 Feb. 2023
After a helter-skelter start, Mr. Vovk and his top managers reorganized.
—Patricia Cohen, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2023
Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 28 July 2025
His mouth is closed and fixed in a humorless grin, concealing the eating machine within eight rows of long, hollow teeth arranged helter-skelter in each rank like thorns on a dead rose.
—Pat Smith, Outdoor Life, 24 July 2025
California continued the helter-skelter Challenger weekend, topping Nashville in a DB 22-20.
—Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
Meanwhile, the Nuggets showed their championship mettle in a helter-skelter win in the final seconds.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025
The Knicks led a helter-skelter match 103-92 with just over eight minutes to go, but a 20-2 Detroit run over the next five-and-a-half minutes carried the Pistons to a seven-point advantage.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 2 May 2025
For millions of employers around the country, the Trump administration's helter-skelter approach to imposing tariffs on key trading partners, along with just about every other country on the planet, has been challenging, corporate executives and small business owners have told CBS News.
—Alain Sherter, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2025
The president’s approach to tariffs illustrates how his helter-skelter mind works.
—Nolan Finley, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025
With their helter-skelter, pressing style, the Grizzlies are a balanced team.
—Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
The opening quarter-hour produced a fast but helter-skelter showing.
—The Enquirer, 25 Feb. 2023
After a helter-skelter start, Mr. Vovk and his top managers reorganized.
—Patricia Cohen, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2023
Adverb
On a day when the Valkyries were stuck in neutral, her helter-skelter play-style and willingness to bomb away from deep was one of the team’s few bright spots.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 28 July 2025
His mouth is closed and fixed in a humorless grin, concealing the eating machine within eight rows of long, hollow teeth arranged helter-skelter in each rank like thorns on a dead rose.
—Pat Smith, Outdoor Life, 24 July 2025
California continued the helter-skelter Challenger weekend, topping Nashville in a DB 22-20.
—Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
Meanwhile, the Nuggets showed their championship mettle in a helter-skelter win in the final seconds.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025
The Knicks led a helter-skelter match 103-92 with just over eight minutes to go, but a 20-2 Detroit run over the next five-and-a-half minutes carried the Pistons to a seven-point advantage.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 2 May 2025
For millions of employers around the country, the Trump administration's helter-skelter approach to imposing tariffs on key trading partners, along with just about every other country on the planet, has been challenging, corporate executives and small business owners have told CBS News.
—Alain Sherter, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2025
The president’s approach to tariffs illustrates how his helter-skelter mind works.
—Nolan Finley, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025
With their helter-skelter, pressing style, the Grizzlies are a balanced team.
—Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for helter-skelter
Adjective
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Scenes of hurried passengers chugging water or tossing full bottles into trash bins have become routine — and agents are required to confiscate anything that doesn’t comply, often to the frustration of everyday travelers.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
17 July 2025
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While authors have long relied on brief bookstore appearances and hurried festival signings to connect with their audience, reading retreats offer extended, intimate access to their most devoted fans in settings designed for thoughtful literary discussion.—
JD Barker,
Rolling Stone,
16 July 2025
Adjective
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In case of doubt, competent authorities may carry out random on-site inspections of cybersecurity standards in the companies, for which the management can be held liable.—
Dennis-Kenji Kipker,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
-
Until then, the random Week 17 NFL game will prove to be a downgrade from Peacock’s exclusive Week 1 game last season — the league’s first-ever regular-season game in South America — which itself was a downgrade from its own preceding season’s exclusive NFL Wild Card Weekend game.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Aug. 2025
Adverb
-
Butters in particular kills it, going from surfer chick to worrying mom clutching a glass of crisp white wine, frantically trying to save her engagement while stuck inside the body of a teenager.—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Ford’s wife, Mary, had already left early for her job as a nurse when Tommy started frantically trying to wake him up.—
Jen Reeder,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Kernodle put up a fight, and the commotion got the attention of surviving roommate Dylan Mortensen.—
Becca Longmire,
People.com,
1 Aug. 2025
-
There were two other roommates in the home at the time of the killings that both survived and reported seeing the suspect and hearing commotion that night.—
Gabe Whisnant
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
Adverb
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The stock, which several analysts say is wildly overvalued (with a market cap valuing it at around 100 times its annual revenue), has shot up nearly 600% from a year ago.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
7 Aug. 2025
-
An endorsement from a president wildly popular with Kentucky voters could be a deciding factor in the 2026 Republican primary race for U.S. Senate.—
Lucas Aulbach,
The Courier-Journal,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Multiply the potential maximum by the number of violations, and things can get big in a hurry.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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During his freshman season, Walker registered 24 tackles, five tackles for loss and two quarterback hurries in 389 snaps in 13 games.—
Matt Murschel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This momentary pause, this saving interruption of the headlong, breathless trajectory of rape or murder, admitted a kind of compassion, pity, even tenderness, halting injustice in its tracks.—
Sarah Beckwith,
New Yorker,
26 May 2025
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But swirling around it are immigration restrictions, headlong and haphazard reductions in Federal spending and a separate but related confidence shock weighing on consumer behavior.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
In some ways, are triple doubles an arbitrary achievement?—
Shane Young,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
-
Lalami clearly needed a way to get Sara home to end the book, and springing her in this way is consistent with the arbitrary nature of her incarceration and the mercurial behavior of her keepers.—
Book Marks
August 7,
Literary Hub,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Helter-skelter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/helter-skelter. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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