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
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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
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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
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
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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Some sequences feel hurried, some satirical dialogue is a little too on the nose and a special effect around the climax lacks the polish of the production design elsewhere.—
Leila Latif,
IndieWire,
5 Sep. 2025
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Additionally, hurried or reactive infrastructure development may expose the investor to significant foreign asset reporting and tax burdens (NCTI, for example) that could have been mitigated if a multi-disciplinary framework had been considered.—
Priya Prakash Royal Esq. LL.M. MBA AEP TEP,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The agreement says Campbell’s campaign was selected for audit at a random drawing in 2023.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Sep. 2025
-
The second verse is no less random, with lyrics about moonwalking on a UFO, dropping bars while brushing teeth and a shout out to legendary 2001 blaxploitation-adjacent comedy Pootie Tang.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
12 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Staffers frantically searched for updates on his condition.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Some are stockpiling ingredients, while others are frantically seeking alternative suppliers.—
Phil Lempert,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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These options let the computer randomly generate numbers for you.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
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The signature Borderlands loot system is here too, where every single weapon and piece of gear is randomly generated with numerous combinations of unique traits, making gameplay unpredictable and fun.—
George Yang,
PC Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The commotion has come as a surprise to Cooke, who didn’t foresee her role as such a divisive one.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
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The child’s father had arrived home shortly before the incident occurred and heard a commotion in the bedroom, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by KSAT.—
TJ Macias,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The storm reshaped the coastline, forcing a rushed build and rebuild of the course.—
Tim Corlett,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
In her post, the 27-year-old shares how a rushed layover and a tight schedule turned a simple flight connection into an emotional ordeal.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
23 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The result was a mile-long line that turned scattered craftwork into synchronized production.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Aug. 2025
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More likely, a supernova occurs inside a galaxy loaded with numerous, scattered clouds of gas and dust.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
7 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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On the ground in Wedgewood Houston, a tiny bird fought an army of enclosing fire ants, wildly kicking and flailing.—
Audrey Gibbs,
Nashville Tennessean,
9 Sep. 2025
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Atom’s order to alter Nibs’ memory seems wildly shortsighted, if the plan was to keep her around the other hybrids.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Helter-skelter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/helter-skelter. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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