mayhem

noun

may·​hem ˈmā-ˌhem  ˈmā-əm 

plural mayhems

1

: needless or willful damage or violence

movies filled with murder and mayhem

2

a

: willful and permanent deprivation of a body part resulting in the impairment of a person's fighting ability

b

: willful and permanent disabling, mutilation, or disfigurement of any part of the body

Did you know?

Mayhem Has Legal Roots

Legally speaking, mayhem refers to the gruesome crime of deliberately causing an injury that permanently disfigures another. The word comes via Middle English from the Anglo-French verb maheimer ("to maim") and is probably of Germanic origin; the English verb maim comes from the same ancestor. The "disfigurement" sense of mayhem first appeared in English in the 15th century. Centuries later, the word came to refer to any kind of violent behavior. Nowadays, mayhem is frequently used to suggest any kind of chaos or disorder, even in far less fraught circumstances, as in "there was mayhem on the field after the winning goal was scored."

Examples of mayhem in a Sentence

movies filled with murder and mayhem

a criminal who escaped from prison and caused mayhem

Recent Examples on the Web

The only nod to present-day Kentucky Derby mayhem is the kitschy gift shop, filled with wares for out-of-towners who pop in because some influencer suggested it on TikTok. —Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 2 May 2026

Those clothes, of course, offer the perfect canvas for the mayhem that follows. —Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 30 Apr. 2026

In addition to first and second degree murder, Jackson has been charged with mayhem and tampering with physical evidence, the outlets reported, citing authorities. —Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026

Moscow has stepped up its ballistic-missile attacks across the country, triggering deaths and mayhem. —Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English mayme, mahaime, from Anglo-French mahaim mutilation, mayhem, from maheimer, mahaigner to maim, probably of Germanic origin; akin to Middle High German meiden gelding, Old Norse meitha to injure

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Rhymes for mayhem

• condemn
• atm
• chernozem
• diadem
• ibidem
• meristem
• clem
• em
• femme
• gem
• hem
• phlegm

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Kids Definition

mayhem

noun

may·​hem ˈmā-ˌhem  ˈmā-əm 

1

: deliberate permanent crippling or injury of any part of the body

2

: needless or willful damage or violence

Medical Definition

mayhem

noun

may·​hem ˈmā-ˌhem  ˈmā-əm 

: willful and permanent disabling, mutilation, or disfiguring of any part of the body

also : the crime of engaging in mayhem

A Rocklin cosmetic surgeon pleaded "not guilty" to 37 felony counts, including mayhem. … In broadcast media reports, women claimed they had botched plastic surgery procedures that have left them disfigured, disabled or both.

—California Statewide Law Enforcement Association

Legal Definition

mayhem

noun

may·​hem ˈmā-ˌhem, -əm 

: willful and permanent crippling, mutilation, or disfigurement of any part of another's body

also : the crime of engaging in mayhem

Note: Under the Model Penal Code and the codes of the states that follow it, mayhem is encompassed by assault and aggravated assault.

Etymology

Anglo-French mahaim, mahain, literally, mutilation, from Old French mahain, from mahaignier to injure, mutilate