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
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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
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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
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2
as in randomly
without definite aim, direction, rule, or method
goods arranged helter-skelter on the shelves of the variety store
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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
Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025
The Knicks led a helter-skelter match 103-92 with just over eight minutes to go, but a 20-2 Detroit run over the next five-and-a-half minutes carried the Pistons to a seven-point advantage.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 2 May 2025
For millions of employers around the country, the Trump administration's helter-skelter approach to imposing tariffs on key trading partners, along with just about every other country on the planet, has been challenging, corporate executives and small business owners have told CBS News.
—Alain Sherter, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2025
The president’s approach to tariffs illustrates how his helter-skelter mind works.
—Nolan Finley, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025
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
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
Meanwhile, the Nuggets showed their championship mettle in a helter-skelter win in the final seconds.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025
The Knicks led a helter-skelter match 103-92 with just over eight minutes to go, but a 20-2 Detroit run over the next five-and-a-half minutes carried the Pistons to a seven-point advantage.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 2 May 2025
For millions of employers around the country, the Trump administration's helter-skelter approach to imposing tariffs on key trading partners, along with just about every other country on the planet, has been challenging, corporate executives and small business owners have told CBS News.
—Alain Sherter, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2025
The president’s approach to tariffs illustrates how his helter-skelter mind works.
—Nolan Finley, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for helter-skelter
Adjective
-
My Dien is a hurried cluster that has grown up ad hoc, with buildings of varying sizes rising like reeds from a fertile swamp.—
Damien Cave,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
-
This comes as the Trump administration has faced growing criticisms for its hurried proceedings to remove as many noncitizens from the country as quickly as possible.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Avoid long strings of random numbers, special characters or irrelevant details.—
Nick Zviadadze,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
-
Previous studies landed on either side of the one coin: the formation was random, or that the animals deliberately took up positions that protected vulnerable animals from attack.—
Bronwyn Thompson,
New Atlas,
7 June 2025
Adverb
-
Large drips of white and blue paint obscure the chattering teeth frantically farmed in red in the lower canvas, hinting at water and perhaps someone being silenced.—
Natasha Gural,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
This time the third period was marked by frantically tenacious defense and by the quiet excellence Cats fans have come to expect of Sergei Bobrvosky.—
Greg Cote,
Miami Herald,
7 June 2025
Noun
-
Bass won’t hang around with that kind of commotion going on.—
Ted Janes,
Outdoor Life,
29 May 2025
-
Moments after Tommy left the theater to start packing, Ellie and Jesse heard a commotion in the lobby.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
25 May 2025
Adverb
-
This is especially true after Sony abandoned handheld gaming after the PS Vita, which never made as big a splash as the wildly popular PSP.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
-
Smith was ranked No. 1 in the U.S. at the time, two spots ahead of his pal, yet the wildly popular Ashe always got top billing.—
Sam Farmer,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2025
Noun
-
Though Clark may be out, the Fever still have a talented squad that can put up buckets in a hurry.—
Devin Robertson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
-
Pod coffee was an easier way to make a single cup in a hurry.—
Louryn Strampe,
Wired News,
24 May 2025
Adjective
-
This momentary pause, this saving interruption of the headlong, breathless trajectory of rape or murder, admitted a kind of compassion, pity, even tenderness, halting injustice in its tracks.—
Sarah Beckwith,
New Yorker,
26 May 2025
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But swirling around it are immigration restrictions, headlong and haphazard reductions in Federal spending and a separate but related confidence shock weighing on consumer behavior.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
State lawmakers can and should repeal the arbitrary two-year rule.—
Sakinah Tillman,
Baltimore Sun,
4 June 2025
-
Guidelines in the Puppy Protection Act would create arbitrary, one-size-fits-all requirements for dog breeding even though dogs are the most diverse species of land mammal, such as: — Mandating two meals daily.—
Sheila Goffe,
Boston Herald,
3 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Helter-skelter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/helter-skelter. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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