1
as in hurried
acting or done with excessive or careless speed
a bill that was pushed through committee in a last-minute helter-skelter burst of legislative activity
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in random
lacking a definite plan, purpose, or pattern
papers, books, and unopened mail were stacked helter-skelter on the desk
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in frantically
in a confused and reckless manner
the sheep ran helter-skelter inside their pen when the coyote appeared in their midst
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in randomly
without definite aim, direction, rule, or method
goods arranged helter-skelter on the shelves of the variety store
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity
in the helter-skelter at the amusement park the child got separated from his parents
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of helter-skelter
The Enquirer, 25 Feb. 2023
After a helter-skelter start, Mr. Vovk and his top managers reorganized.
—Patricia Cohen, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2023
Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2025
Somehow, with their final timeout unused, the Bears let the game’s final 32 seconds tick away with only one snap being taken — a helter-skelter, audibled deep shot from Williams to Rome Odunze that fell incomplete as time expired.
—Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 4 Dec. 2024
And how did the home crowd react to their new manager after the often helter-skelter performances of Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp?
—Gregg Evans, The Athletic, 25 Aug. 2024
The top row is fairly straight, just without the unnatural white hue of a modern Marvel star; the bottom row goes helter-skelter.
—Joel Kim Booster, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2024
Manson’s Granddaughter Gets Her Day in Court Charles Manson died in prison in 2017, but his offspring continue to stir up helter-skelter in California’s courts.
—Benjamin Svetkey, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Oct. 2024
Sometime late last week, spray-paint-wielding intruders turned the pink walls of this seven-bedroom mansion into a helter-skelter canvas of pop art, obscure quotations and political insinuations — the third hillside home in Los Angeles to be defaced in recent days.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2024
The helter-skelter Draft Day trades that netted the Warriors Post with the 52nd pick is not yet finalized.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 30 June 2024
With Spectrum Center closed for renovations, the Hornets have been displaced somewhat, making things helter-skelter.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 26 June 2024
Adjective
The opening quarter-hour produced a fast but helter-skelter showing.
—The Enquirer, 25 Feb. 2023
After a helter-skelter start, Mr. Vovk and his top managers reorganized.
—Patricia Cohen, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2023
Adverb
With their helter-skelter, pressing style, the Grizzlies are a balanced team.
—Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2025
Somehow, with their final timeout unused, the Bears let the game’s final 32 seconds tick away with only one snap being taken — a helter-skelter, audibled deep shot from Williams to Rome Odunze that fell incomplete as time expired.
—Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 4 Dec. 2024
And how did the home crowd react to their new manager after the often helter-skelter performances of Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp?
—Gregg Evans, The Athletic, 25 Aug. 2024
The top row is fairly straight, just without the unnatural white hue of a modern Marvel star; the bottom row goes helter-skelter.
—Joel Kim Booster, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2024
Manson’s Granddaughter Gets Her Day in Court Charles Manson died in prison in 2017, but his offspring continue to stir up helter-skelter in California’s courts.
—Benjamin Svetkey, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Oct. 2024
Sometime late last week, spray-paint-wielding intruders turned the pink walls of this seven-bedroom mansion into a helter-skelter canvas of pop art, obscure quotations and political insinuations — the third hillside home in Los Angeles to be defaced in recent days.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2024
The helter-skelter Draft Day trades that netted the Warriors Post with the 52nd pick is not yet finalized.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 30 June 2024
With Spectrum Center closed for renovations, the Hornets have been displaced somewhat, making things helter-skelter.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 26 June 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for helter-skelter
Adjective
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Photography by Christopher Lee Every morning taquerias throughout San Antonio fill with construction workers, nurses in scrubs, college students, and hurried families, all finding salvation in an iconic staple: the breakfast taco.—
Edmund Tijerina,
Bon Appétit,
27 Feb. 2025
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Macron has taken a leading role in Europe's push to keep Trump from cutting a hurried deal to end the Ukraine war that legitimizes Vladimir Putin and rewards the Russian invasion.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA TODAY,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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While there are countless wormholes to be dragged into on a player’s Baseball Reference page, many of them can be pushed aside with the explanation that the reasoning for a level of success (or lack thereof) is due to the sample size making those results random.—
Tyler Small,
Forbes,
23 Feb. 2025
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In the early 20th century, physicists wanted to study Brownian motion, the random movement of particles in a liquid or gas.—
Solomon Adams,
WIRED,
23 Feb. 2025
Adverb
-
The most devastating testimony came from Auschwitz survivors, one of whom described the mortal terror of people in the gas chambers, some taking 10 or more minutes to die, struggling frantically, their corpses covered in blood from their noses and ears.—
Gary J. Bass,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2025
-
Surveillance footage, the arrest affidavit says, showed Mary frantically seeking help as Nathan chased her with a gun — while the couple’s 4-year-old daughter was behind him.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
18 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
In the security footage, which amassed over 1.2 million views, one cat ran up the stairs frightened after hearing a commotion coming in the closet under the stairs.—
Barbara A. Perry,
Newsweek,
27 Jan. 2025
-
Individual pregame warmups wrap up and a certain member of the Charlotte Hornets exits the court heading toward the tunnel, causing a commotion among throngs of onlookers hoping for a keepsake signature or snapshot.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Jan. 2025
Adverb
-
But for all of the dangers presented by the depths of the ocean and the peaks of mountains, cuteness or wildly exaggerated ugliness generally prevail.—
Daniel Fienberg,
The Hollywood Reporter,
22 Feb. 2025
-
Bill mistakes smarm for charm, curses wildly, and treats Hal like a punching bag, seemingly convinced the difference in their birth order is marked by years not minutes.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
22 Feb. 2025
Noun
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As Musk says, EVs (and hybrids) are coming on strong across the globe, and if the president takes serious action against them, U.S. automakers will become uncompetitive in a hurry.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Feb. 2025
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Trying to implement changes in a hurry can have disastrous results.—
Stephanie Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The finale 45 seconds are a headlong rush of hectic imagery, including Anima pouring gas in a home as if to torch it as Abel gets more and more freaked out by the chaos around him.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
4 Feb. 2025
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That a hedge fund can revolutionize the AI world seemingly overnight highlights the importance of assuring the headlong rush forward includes behavioral expectations and guardrails.—
Tom Wheeler,
TIME,
30 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Anyone who’s ever thrown a pitch or swung a bat knows that the umpire decides in the end — and those decisions have felt arbitrary and highly personal at times.—
Keith O'Brien,
Rolling Stone,
23 Feb. 2025
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Misinformation surrounding the new law has led to a resurgence of the narrative that white South Africans—especially farmers—are facing an orchestrated campaign of genocide through arbitrary land grabs.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
14 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to helter-skelter
Cite this Entry
“Helter-skelter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/helter-skelter. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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