bedlam

noun

ˈbed-ləm How to pronounce bedlam (audio)
Definition of bedlamnext
as in madhouse
a place of uproar or confusion there's no way I can get any reading done in this bedlam, so I'm going to the library

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 bedlam If the Spurs stave off elimination, Johnson presenting the trophy to the Knicks at home after a Game 6 win on Tuesday could surpass the bedlam from the comeback. — ABC News, 12 June 2026 The points are long, the rallies are dramatic, the action is constant, there is a refined bedlam, and the strategy reads so beautifully on camera. — Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2026 At one point during the bedlam, a firework appears to be set off in the windshield wiper cowl, with sparks flying into the cruiser's windshield. — Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026 Grand Casino Arena erupted, and bedlam broke out in the Irish half of the stadium as Sherman scored in overtime to send his squad to the semifinals. — Andrew Cornelius, Twin Cities, 5 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bedlam
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bedlam
  1. madhouse
  2. circus
  3. commotion
Noun
  • Whereas this evening in the Spanish Gothic madhouse of the United Theater, most every song from Melanie’s Hadean pageant is received with near word-perfect communalism.
    — Matt Thompson, SPIN, 13 July 2026
  • Headphones are often my saving grace in this madhouse.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 17 Apr. 2026
Definition of madhouse
Noun
  • However, a preview on the Haunted World website includes glimpses of circus, alien, ghost and cannibal themes.
    — Hali Smith October 17, Idaho Statesman, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Signs of this history were on display amid all the adventurous modern art that made Mandell’s home seem like an elegant, circus-like wonderland.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of circus
Noun
  • In the commotion, she was briefly separated from her 85-year-old mother, who lives with her.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • That allowed passengers to hear the commotion and discover what was happening.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of commotion

Browse Nearby Words

bedizens
bedlam
bedlams
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Cite this Entry

“Bedlam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bedlam. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bedlam

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bedlam

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