as in violence
actions that hurt people and destroy things; a scene or situation that involves a lot of violence
Movies seem to be filled with murder and mayhem these days. a criminal who escaped from prison and caused mayhem
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mayhem
Knicks lose, streets turn into mayhem Videos posted across social media showed chaos taking place in Manhattan after the game ended.
—
Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 9 June 2026
The mayhem delayed the start of the game 1 1/2 hours before a semblance of order was finally restored after dozens of arrests, injuries and ejections.
—Greg Cote
june 4, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
Most teenagers are not asking permission to attend mayhem.
—Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026
No tracks would seem out of place strewn across the Abbey Road Studios cutting room floor — like if that fabled rooftop concert had been a lightning rod for entry into the powerpop mayhem of the ’70s rather than ultimately the final page of the storybook.
—Aaron Davis, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for mayhem
Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 9 June 2026
The mayhem delayed the start of the game 1 1/2 hours before a semblance of order was finally restored after dozens of arrests, injuries and ejections.
—Greg Cote
june 4, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
Most teenagers are not asking permission to attend mayhem.
—Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026
No tracks would seem out of place strewn across the Abbey Road Studios cutting room floor — like if that fabled rooftop concert had been a lightning rod for entry into the powerpop mayhem of the ’70s rather than ultimately the final page of the storybook.
—Aaron Davis, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for mayhem
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mayhem
Noun
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Countries with large populations of Venezuelan migrants, including Peru and Colombia, have accused the group of being behind a spree of violence in the region.—
Will Weissert,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
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In Port-au-Prince, where chronic electricity shortages and gang violence have disrupted daily life for years, residents have been preparing communal viewing areas so supporters can watch the match together.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
13 June 2026
Noun
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For a president who frequently threatens his opponents with violence, that brutality is surely part of the allure.—
Bhumika Tharoor,
The Atlantic,
9 June 2026
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In the years since, Corado’s name has become a rallying cry for the local movement against police brutality.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Noun
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Vegas played much of the night without center William Karlsson, who was being checked out on the bench for an apparent upper-body injury.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
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Firefighters contained all four fires reported in the area, and no structures were damaged and no injuries were reported.—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
Noun
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These days, fear and absurdity walk hand in hand, and anyone who’s scrolled a news feed knows how quickly abject terror can morph into cathartic giggles.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
17 June 2026
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The military retaliation followed an April 26 terror attack, when an explosive device detonated on a passenger bus traveling along the Pan-American Highway in the volatile Cauca region.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mayhem.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mayhem. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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