Examples of bedlam in a Sentence
The park had never had so many visitors at one time. It was total bedlam.
French physician Philippe Pinel was instrumental in the transformation of bedlams from filthy hellholes to well-ordered, humane institutions.
Recent Examples on the Web
Trump warns of ‘bedlam’ if no deal US officials have stressed that the framework is performance-based and that Iran’s new ability to sell oil could get rolled back if negotiations aren’t productive.
—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
The scene isn’t just a powder keg of tension that leads to frenzied bedlam; its cynical depiction of human self-preservation is far more terrifying than any horror movie monster.
—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 June 2026
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
Soon enough, Rosie and Kelsey are screaming at each other again and bedlam breaks out.
—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for bedlam
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Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
The scene isn’t just a powder keg of tension that leads to frenzied bedlam; its cynical depiction of human self-preservation is far more terrifying than any horror movie monster.
—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 June 2026
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
Soon enough, Rosie and Kelsey are screaming at each other again and bedlam breaks out.
—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for bedlam
Cite this Entry
“Bedlam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bedlam. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bedlam
noun
bed·lam
ˈbed-ləm 
: a place or scene of uproar and confusion
Etymology
from Middle English Bedlem "Bethlehem"
Word Origin
Around 1402 the home of a religious community in London was turned into a hospital for the mentally ill. This new hospital kept the name of the community and was known as the Hospital of Saint Mary of Bethlehem. People soon shortened this name to Bethlehem. In Middle English, though, the town of Bethlehem in Palestine was called Bedlem or Bethlem, so this was the pronunciation used for the hospital's name. In time the name Bedlem or Bedlam came to refer to any home for the mentally ill. Today we use bedlam for any scene of noise and confusion like that found in the early hospitals for the mentally ill.
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