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
-
Expect efficient service without feeling hurried.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Even the climactic revelations, including the confrontation with the story's big bad, feel hurried.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The ex-con who shot NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller to death during a chaotic Queens car stop was hit Monday with the maximum sentence of 115 years to life behind bars.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
With less than a year until Chicago’s next mayoral election and amid a growing field of prospective candidates, more city residents hold a dim view of incumbent Brandon Johnson than a positive one about his often-chaotic first term at City Hall, a new poll shows.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Videos from in front of the school show the streets splattered with blood, gunshots sounding in the distance, and a flurry of men — young and old — frantically running around and calling for help.—
Zeena Saifi,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Meanwhile, the skipper and the rest of the crew work frantically to put the ship about and head back to recover the person.—
David Szondy
April 19,
New Atlas,
19 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
While Kimmel never formally apologized and no pound of flesh was taken by the administration, the upshot was that Disney was believed to have acted a bit too hastily.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The flags that typically stand behind the podium when the President speaks were hastily brought in.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
Little emphasized the need to ease property taxes in a letter accompanying his signature but criticized Moyle’s approach as rushed and overly complex.—
Mark Dee
March 25,
Idaho Statesman,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Everything was hot, simple and a little messy in the best way.—
Melissa Oyler,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Shared spaces were left messy, personal belongings spread throughout the house, decor rearranged and boundaries ignored.—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Denials, appeals and habeas corpus Juan and Donovan’s emotions swing wildly between hope and despair, depending on the day.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The game marks the first time an American football game is played in what is typically the home pitch of several of Brazil’s soccer clubs, including Rio’s wildly popular and historic Fluminense and Flamengo teams.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
The Spaniard left hurriedly, carrying a frown that owed to a sense of injustice.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
-
The proposal came together hurriedly.—
Romy Ellenbogen,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pell-mell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pell-mell. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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