MAYHEM Synonyms: 76 Similar and Opposite Words

mayhem

noun

Definition of mayhem

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

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of mayhem Advertisement Here and there, Bruce Banner/the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Frank Castle/Punisher (Jon Bernthal), and Mac Gargan/Scorpion (Michael Mando) show up to cause mayhem. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 28 July 2026 Detectives concluded that the mayhem was the result of a shootout Mason Triana had earlier in the morning with his older brother, Alan Triana. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 27 July 2026 But authorities boast that the state has lately become a model for reducing mob mayhem — an assertion that many find suspect. — Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2026 This South Florida city once known for spring break mayhem is all grown up, so book a post-cruise stay. — Tracey Teo, AJC.com, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for mayhem

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mayhem

Noun

The violence is the latest sign of armed groups increasingly targeting cities and urban centers in Africa's Sahel region.

— CBS News, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
Magneto’s methods of fighting violence with violence may have sometimes been unscrupulous, but his ideology was always compelling, to X-Men members and viewers alike.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of violence

Noun

The Beast in Me showrunner Howard Gordon knows there was one scene in the Netflix limited series that was divisive because of its brutality.

— Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 15 Aug. 2026
Today, such dreams might put a woman in jail or expose her to the casual brutality of the Taliban’s paternal order.

— Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of brutality

Noun

Investigators said one of the victims was taken to an area hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, while the other four were treated at the scene for injuries that were also non-life-threatening.

— Richard Ramos, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
The victim was taken to a medical facility by a family member, where he was treated for injuries to his arm and foot, wildlife officials said.

— Jon Haworth, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of injury

Browse Nearby Words

mayhap

mayhem

mazard

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Mayhem.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mayhem. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of mayhem

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on mayhem

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

divulge

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes