mare's nest

noun

Definition of mare's nestnext
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
  1. hell
  2. havoc
  3. mess
  4. jumble
  5. chaos
  6. confusion
  7. snake pit
  8. disorder
Noun
  • When the typewriter was first invented, writers kicked hell and said, The thing is writing.
    — Will Oremus, The Atlantic, 3 July 2026
  • The cast, of course, knew that experience of family as heaven, hell and somewhere in between.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 2 July 2026
Definition of hell
Noun
  • His counterpressing has been a major aid to the way the team plays, and Balogun’s ability to run in behind the lines and cause havoc in the box opens space and makes things easier for the attacking players around him.
    — Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • You’d be forgiven for thinking far fewer of the destructive predators are causing havoc, however.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 July 2026
Definition of havoc
Noun
  • The coach inherited a mess and wiped the slate clean with 40-plus transfers.
    — Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • Melting suet turns rancid fast and creates a mess of bird plumage.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 July 2026
Definition of mess
Noun
  • Arches and natural bridges sweep like buttresses from jumbles of rock, giving this landscape a mystical, cathedral-like quality.
    — Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk.
    — Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of jumble
Noun
  • Logan Webb has long been a bright spot amid San Francisco Giants chaos and dysfunction.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • Through the chaos, Colleen — who preferred her husband speak on her behalf for this story — is steadied by the TV, waiting for her two favorite programs to come on each evening.
    — Spencer Nusbaum, New York Times, 10 July 2026
Definition of chaos
Noun
  • Even though talks with the Boston Red Sox at last year’s deadline never got close, the confusion provided by an incorrect tweet announcing Ryan’s trade to New England put the pitcher at the top of every trade list before the season even began.
    — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 6 July 2026
  • There have been confusion and contradictions in the lead up to the visit over accommodation arrangements for the Sussex family.
    — Max Foster, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Definition of confusion
Noun
  • The town is home to the world's largest snake pits, where tens of thousands of non-venomous red-sided garter snakes emerge each spring to wriggle over one another.
    — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
  • 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
Definition of snake pit
Noun
  • For people coming out of shelters – especially those dealing with trauma, mental illness, or substance use disorder – that can make the difference between short-term housing and long-term stability.
    — Meg Dunn, CNN Money, 10 July 2026
  • Meniere’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear that can cause severe dizziness, ringing in the ears, hearing loss and ears feeling congested, according to the NIH.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Definition of disorder
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

mare
mare's nest
mare's nests
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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 12 Jul. 2026.

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