mayhem

noun

Definition of mayhemnext
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

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 Following the 2020 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, burning, looting and other forms of mayhem broke out in Minneapolis and many other cities across America. — Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2026 Then there are the Verdusco brothers (Matt Groove and JB Tadena), mysterious gangsters causing mayhem across the city. — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026 The result was surging unemployment, civil unrest, and mayhem on the border. — Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026 Cummings is seen on video firing several shots after the mayhem began, according to the feds, though he’s not accused of striking anyone with his bullets. — John Annese, New York Daily News, 8 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mayhem
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mayhem
  1. violence
  2. brutality
  3. injury
  4. terror
Noun
  • In Congo, where the outbreak has spread to seven provinces, responders have faced attacks on health teams, misinformation about the virus, a failure by locals to report symptoms and rebel violence that has limited access to treatment centers.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
  • In a statement to Rolling Stone, the singer’s attorney, Mathew Rosengart, praised her bravery in fighting the agreement that would have barred her from speaking about her experience and her work with domestic-violence groups.
    — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of violence
Noun
  • The case got widespread attention because of the brutality of the killing, the ages of the people involved and because a satanic symbol was carved into the victim’s body.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • That reporting revealed that the state frequently seizes money from legal settlements stemming from medical malpractice, police brutality, workplace injury and other wrongful death lawsuits.
    — Ginny Monk, Hartford Courant, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of brutality
Noun
  • How Doctors Diagnose and Treat It Health care providers use the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders to classify trypanophobia as a specific phobia of the blood-injection-injury type.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026
  • But with nearly half of the roster sidelined because of injuries or resting, Adou Thiero at least tried to inject some life into a sleepy preseason back-to-back.
    — Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of injury
Noun
  • British authorities have linked the terror plot to Tehran, although Iran has denied involvement.
    — Azhar Sukri,Terri Cullen, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026
  • That resonated for me because the war on terror did a tremendous amount of damage to people, and those people have suffered in silence.
    — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of terror

Browse Nearby Words

mayhap
mayhem
mazard
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Cite this Entry

“Mayhem.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mayhem. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on mayhem

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mayhem

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