as in hell
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 nest
Noun
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Having earned degrees in political science and history at Ohio’s Miami University, Nixon was arguably over-qualified to be a roots-rocking, hell-raising provocateur who somehow was embraced by MTV for several years and went on to become the host of several shows on Sirius XM Radio.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026 -
It is said that during Ramadan, the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of hell are closed.—
Lianna Norman,
Florida Times-Union,
5 Feb. 2026
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
Noun
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Specifically, the bench is a dysfunctional mess.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
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And now we’re stuck having to clean up this mess.—
Claudia Levens,
jsonline.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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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Sudan plunged into chaos in April 2023 when a power struggle between the military and the RSF exploded into open fighting in the capital, Khartoum, and elsewhere in the country, leaving tens of thousands dead and millions displaced.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
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At least 42 anti-ICE protesters were arrested Saturday after chaos unfolded outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, following a memorial for Minneapolis residents Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were fatally shot by federal agents last month.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The crossing was closed Friday and Saturday because of confusion around operations.—
SAMY MAGDY,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
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Former Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt felt that there would be confusion over the fact that the Super Bowl itself took place the year after the NFL’s regular-season games.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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By mimicking the biological blueprint of snake pit organs and combining it with semiconductor manufacturing, the researchers have opened a path toward truly accessible thermal vision.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Dec. 2025
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But at home, his Garfield is a gentle, loving husband, father and farmer — an unlikely person to rise to the top in the snake pit of national government in the 1880s.—
David Bianculli,
NPR,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The disorder resulted in far fewer Palestinians traversing the border between Egypt and Gaza than was expected, nearly two years after Israel seized and shut the crossing.—
Oren Liebermann,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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In a study of more than 7,000 people in England, those in debt were three times as likely to have a common mental disorder.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Mare's nest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mare%27s%20nest. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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