musical chairs

noun

plural in form but singular in construction
: a game in which players march to music around a row of chairs numbering one less than the players and scramble for seats when the music stops
also : a situation or series of events suggesting the game of musical chairs (as in rapid change or confusing activity)

Examples of musical chairs in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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There was the usual free-agent musical chairs that saw Kyle Tucker wind up with the Dodgers, Bo Bichette with the New York Mets, Alex Bregman with the Chicago Cubs and Pete Alonso with the Baltimore Orioles. Ronald Blum, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026 Since then, Osaka and Sabalenka have been playing musical chairs with talent management companies. Ava Wallace, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026 Instead of reshoring operations entirely, American businesses appear to be engaging in a costly game of musical chairs. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026 Amid the musical chairs that have become the prevailing trend among high-end fashion houses, Valentino was content to explore his passions in retirement. Laurie Brookins, HollywoodReporter, 19 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for musical chairs

Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of musical chairs was in 1877

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Cite this Entry

“Musical chairs.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/musical%20chairs. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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