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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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 helter-skelter
Tony Baranek,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Apr. 2026
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
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2026
Inspired by the helter-skelter brickwork of Chiang Mai's crumbling temples, their façades feature masonry laid in intricate motifs and wooden lattices that create beautiful shadowy patterns when the sun hits.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
Amazon may not be worth as much as Anthropic soon because one is focused and the other is helter-skelter.
—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
8 Feb. 2026
And, with seven defensive backs plus linebacker Tremaine Edmunds protecting the end zone, Jarrett found himself in the middle of a helter-skelter three-man rush.
—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
15 Jan. 2026
Its regularity and rhythm cut against a helter-skelter modernity that has neither.
—
Tyler Austin Harper,
The Atlantic,
30 Oct. 2025
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
Adjective
The helter-skelter run down the line.
—
Tony Baranek,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Apr. 2026
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
Stantis’ drawing shows Jesus hanging on a cross with oversized bombs and mortar shells flying helter-skelter in the air.
—
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2026
Inspired by the helter-skelter brickwork of Chiang Mai's crumbling temples, their façades feature masonry laid in intricate motifs and wooden lattices that create beautiful shadowy patterns when the sun hits.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
Amazon may not be worth as much as Anthropic soon because one is focused and the other is helter-skelter.
—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
8 Feb. 2026
And, with seven defensive backs plus linebacker Tremaine Edmunds protecting the end zone, Jarrett found himself in the middle of a helter-skelter three-man rush.
—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
15 Jan. 2026
Its regularity and rhythm cut against a helter-skelter modernity that has neither.
—
Tyler Austin Harper,
The Atlantic,
30 Oct. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for helter-skelter
Adjective
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But for some reason the powers that be have decreed artificial intelligence a civilizational imperative, requiring the hurried construction of swarms of data centers, on Earth and in space.
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Right now, decisions are being made in a hurried, contradictory fashion.
Adjective
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Thankfully, there are self-aware jabs as well, and it’s all couched in a character- and ensemble-centric ending that has hearty portions that help the random sour bite go down smoothly.
-
Their choice of 14er was not random.
Adverb
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The Melodies of the Danube itinerary connects Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, and the Wachau Valley coherently rather than frantically.
-
Mount Baldy made headlines in 2013 when a 6-year-old boy was suddenly swallowed by the dune, prompting rescues to frantically dig him out.
Adverb
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These options let the computer randomly generate numbers for you.
-
The skills people need to build organizations, connections and relationships don’t just show up in adulthood randomly.
Noun
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Then about a week later, the son responded to a commotion outside their home and found Spencer hitting his mother in the head with a brick, according to officials.
-
Seeing the commotion, Louis and Paul came galloping back.
Adjective
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Instead, Mahan and his wealthy Silicon Valley backers talked themselves into a rushed and premature campaign that was never remotely competitive.
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As immigration officers arrested her six weeks ago, through tears and a rushed goodbye, Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez had a request for her daughter.
Adjective
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If your data is messy, scattered or stale, the AI output fails.
-
At Mariposa Market in Willits, grocery items, wine bottles and other merchandise tumbled from shelves, leaving aisles littered with broken glass and scattered products.
Adverb
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Advertisement But the recent surge of new groups has confused CEOs, donors, and other key constituencies by pursuing often wildly divergent messages and contradictory agendas, inadvertently establishing circular firing squads, undermining unity, and siphoning resources from credible expert voices.
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Instead of mixing the margarita in a cocktail shaker, simply add the ingredients to a blender to blitz them into a dilution-free watermelon-tequila cocktail that’s wildly refreshing.
Cite this Entry
“Helter-skelter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/helter-skelter. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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