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
The neighbourhood The peaceful setting offers respite from the mayhem of inner-city Athens, and there may not be Acropolis views, but the ancient site is easily reachable by taxi for a half-day’s trip.
—
Jemima Sissons, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Jan. 2026
Baccarin is a warm addition to all the mayhem, and Davis joins the troupe with just the right sense of hope for a future in a world that has lost its way.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 8 Jan. 2026
At least two young children were caught up in the mayhem, which sent stroller-pushing parents scrambling for safety.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
But audiences and critics alike loved the swing (which included, amid a kaleidoscope of depraved mayhem, disastrous IPOs, a brawl in a kids’ soft play area, abusive billionaire parents and two sudden deaths — one shockingly violent).
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mayhem
Jemima Sissons, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Jan. 2026
Baccarin is a warm addition to all the mayhem, and Davis joins the troupe with just the right sense of hope for a future in a world that has lost its way.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 8 Jan. 2026
At least two young children were caught up in the mayhem, which sent stroller-pushing parents scrambling for safety.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
But audiences and critics alike loved the swing (which included, amid a kaleidoscope of depraved mayhem, disastrous IPOs, a brawl in a kids’ soft play area, abusive billionaire parents and two sudden deaths — one shockingly violent).
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mayhem
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mayhem
Noun
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Cruz and other Republicans argued the decision minimized the gravity of an attack on the judiciary and could encourage future political violence.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
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The numbers mark a sharp reversal from a spike in violence during the worst years of the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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For some residents, Good’s killing reopened deep wounds in a city still reckoning with the police murder of George Floyd, which occurred just blocks away in May 2020 and sparked nationwide protests against police brutality.—
Nicole Acevedo,
NBC news,
10 Jan. 2026
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Captured on video, the incident would bring national tensions over police brutality to a head, igniting months of demonstrations around the country.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Lowe has missed time with oblique injuries each of the past two seasons.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
16 Jan. 2026
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Tucker was slowed by a pair of injuries in his lone season with the Cubs.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Even his smile is sinister in the English actor’s current reign of cinematic terror.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
14 Jan. 2026
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Nate is now running a construction company, but can be seen in a brief scene, his eyes filled with terror.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
14 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mayhem.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mayhem. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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