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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Recent Examples of mayhem
Putting a match in a cage told spectators that the mayhem couldn’t be contained within an ordinary wrestling ring.
—
Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
The mayhem over Memorial Day weekend in Chicago erupted without warning.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 28 May 2026
The current mayor must make clear that the city will have no tolerance for this mayhem going forward.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 26 May 2026
There’s one enjoyably oddball visual when Passenger Man disrupts a cozy projector-and-canopy movie night in the forest and suddenly the faces of Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn are on trees everywhere as mayhem ensues.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for mayhem
Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
The mayhem over Memorial Day weekend in Chicago erupted without warning.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 28 May 2026
The current mayor must make clear that the city will have no tolerance for this mayhem going forward.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 26 May 2026
There’s one enjoyably oddball visual when Passenger Man disrupts a cozy projector-and-canopy movie night in the forest and suddenly the faces of Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn are on trees everywhere as mayhem ensues.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for mayhem
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mayhem
Noun
-
As Rose grapples with the gaps in her memory, the two encounter danger and violence.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
-
But that is likely to matter little in the vote, with the ruling Prosperity Party expected to dominate amid a fragmented opposition and ongoing violence.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
Humankind really leveled-up in the brutality department during WWI, a conflict pitched as a war to end all wars.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 May 2026
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Also in attendance will be attorney Antonio Romanucci, who has represented high-profile clients alleging police brutality, including against Chicago.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Noun
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One of the two deceased victims was taken to a hospital for injuries and later died.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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Three others were taken to a nearby hospital with undisclosed injuries, the DFR said in its statement.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
LaBeouf’s campaign of terror ended when he was arrested for punching several people outside the Royal Street Inn & R Bar.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
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The sheer terror of marathon training certainly kept me off cigarettes for a solid six months.—
Kimberly McCreight,
Time,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mayhem.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mayhem. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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