variants
or mares' nests
as in hells
a state in which everything is out of order
the lack of planning had resulted in the city's evacuation being a mare's nest of epic proportions
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mare's nests
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 -
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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And much of the international order is an attempt to avert messes, even by letting odious and illegitimate governments stay in power, because messes can be odious too.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
3 Jan. 2026
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Treat any pet messes on the wood floors as soon as possible to prevent liquid from seeping through the wood.—
Emily Benda Gaylord,
The Spruce,
30 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The county said these diagnostic services will help cardiologists diagnose and treat conditions like congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, aortic aneurysms, heart rhythm disorders and valvular heart disease.—
Grace Hase,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
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The Behavioral Health Administration is a division of Human Services responsible for administering grants to programs meant to help children and adults treat different mental health conditions and substance abuse disorders.—
Ellie Roth,
Twin Cities,
7 Jan. 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
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Cite this Entry
“Mare's nests.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mare%27s%20nests. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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