1
as in hurried
acting or done with excessive or careless speed
when the theater doors opened, there was a pell-mell rush for the best seats
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in chaotic
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness
pell-mell piles of books everywhere in the professor's library
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in frantically
in a confused and reckless manner
tossed stuff pell-mell into the dorm room
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hastily
with excessive or careless speed
ran pell-mell down the road to get help
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pell-mell
Andy Kroll, ProPublica, 18 Oct. 2025
The sight of Musk swinging a chainsaw onstage at a conservative conference captured the pell-mell approach, not to mention the brutality, of the billionaire’s plan to bring the federal government to heel.
—Andy Kroll, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025
What could slow the pell-mell stock market advance of artificial intelligence?
—Larry Light, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
People ran pell-mell outside, sped away in cars with no clear destination, went to church, or just phoned the police or radio station to hyperventilate.
—Nicolas Rapold, airmail.news, 23 Nov. 2024
Abe and Mary are part Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara, part George and Martha, part the old vaudevillians George Burns and Gracie Allen, all running together pell-mell toward the Copacabana.
—Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 12 July 2024
Administration officials don’t see this situation as similar to October 2022, when the intelligence community saw a significant possibility Putin might use tactical nuclear weapons to avert a collapse of Russia’s front lines in Ukraine and prevent a pell-mell retreat.
—David Ignatius, Washington Post, 21 June 2024
Only a few of them stopped with remainder racing pell-mell through the intersection as approaching cars on Charles braked abruptly.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 25 Apr. 2024
Ultimately, the more naturalistic second half — which has a realistic set with chairs and tables, delivered in a clunky black-out transition by intrusive stagehands — gets as sharp and loud as the pell-mell sounds-and-lights first half.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 12 Apr. 2024
Adverb
The sight of Musk swinging a chainsaw onstage at a conservative conference captured the pell-mell approach, not to mention the brutality, of the billionaire’s plan to bring the federal government to heel.
—Andy Kroll, ProPublica, 18 Oct. 2025
The sight of Musk swinging a chainsaw onstage at a conservative conference captured the pell-mell approach, not to mention the brutality, of the billionaire’s plan to bring the federal government to heel.
—Andy Kroll, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025
What could slow the pell-mell stock market advance of artificial intelligence?
—Larry Light, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
People ran pell-mell outside, sped away in cars with no clear destination, went to church, or just phoned the police or radio station to hyperventilate.
—Nicolas Rapold, airmail.news, 23 Nov. 2024
Abe and Mary are part Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara, part George and Martha, part the old vaudevillians George Burns and Gracie Allen, all running together pell-mell toward the Copacabana.
—Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 12 July 2024
Administration officials don’t see this situation as similar to October 2022, when the intelligence community saw a significant possibility Putin might use tactical nuclear weapons to avert a collapse of Russia’s front lines in Ukraine and prevent a pell-mell retreat.
—David Ignatius, Washington Post, 21 June 2024
Only a few of them stopped with remainder racing pell-mell through the intersection as approaching cars on Charles braked abruptly.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 25 Apr. 2024
Ultimately, the more naturalistic second half — which has a realistic set with chairs and tables, delivered in a clunky black-out transition by intrusive stagehands — gets as sharp and loud as the pell-mell sounds-and-lights first half.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 12 Apr. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pell-mell
Adjective
-
In addition, the hurried evaluation and adoption of this proposal, which became public less than a week ago, is unnecessary.—
Jeff Kottkamp,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 June 2026
-
Galena’s Historic District was ranked 66 for its relaxed environment and disconnection from the modern hurried atmosphere, according to the publication.—
Cam'ron Hardy,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
This efficient metro connects the whole city, without having to brave the chaotic, crowded streets.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Witnesses described a chaotic scene as gunfire erupted near the beach.—
Eric Mack,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
Adverb
-
For the sequence when Carol frantically drives away from the hospital, Adams designed a new system with an LED screen that went on front of the truck with a cap on top, so all the light when Carol is driving comes exclusively from the LED screen.—
Matt Minton,
Variety,
4 June 2026
-
As avid basketball fans frantically search for highly coveted tickets to the post-season matchup, prices have skyrocketed to attend in person, ranging from courtside at over $42,000 to the cheapest nosebleeds at just under $1,000.—
Kelly McCarthy,
ABC News,
1 June 2026
Adverb
-
But when Ava makes a bathroom trip, Deb hastily scribbles something in her notepad.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
29 May 2026
-
Attackers also burned down one of the patient-isolation tents hastily erected on the hospital grounds, before soldiers dispersed them by firing warning shots.—
Emmet Livingstone,
NPR,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
Instead, Mahan and his wealthy Silicon Valley backers talked themselves into a rushed and premature campaign that was never remotely competitive.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
-
As immigration officers arrested her six weeks ago, through tears and a rushed goodbye, Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez had a request for her daughter.—
Mathew Miranda,
Sacbee.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
To make matters messier, Danson and Goldberg’s romance was cooling off and the two actually tried to get out of the Friars roast, but the club said the tickets had been sold and the show must go on.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
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Miami-Dade’s mayor is forcing out both her top deputy and the PortMiami director as her administration faces a costly and messy real estate deal to prevent the port’s fuel depot from being lost to a luxury condo development.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
Adverb
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Bitcoin has swung wildly over the last few months as a sudden BlackRock bitcoin fund sell-off accelerates, sparking fears of a bitcoin price crash.—
Billy Bambrough,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
In the past decade and a half, Delta Air Lines has been wildly effective in training its customers to pay more for its premium seats.—
Phil Wahba,
Fortune,
30 May 2026
Adverb
-
And if Black passengers dared to pull the curtain aside, the dining car steward would hurriedly pull the curtain closed, or worse.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 May 2026
-
The Spaniard left hurriedly, carrying a frown that owed to a sense of injustice.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pell-mell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pell-mell. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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