bedlam

noun

bed·​lam ˈbed-ləm 

1

: a place, scene, or state of uproar and confusion

There was bedlam in the streets after the verdict was announced.

2

or Bedlam : an asylum for the mentally ill

3

obsolete : madman, lunatic

Synonyms of bedlam

• madhouse
• circus
• commotion

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

Somewhere amid the bedlam in the stands was a 13-year-old Nkosinathi Sibisi, who is set to make his World Cup debut for Bafana Bafana this week. —Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 9 June 2026

Soon enough, Rosie and Kelsey are screaming at each other again and bedlam breaks out. —Tom Smyth, Vulture, 25 May 2026

The Montreal Canadiens can book their ticket to the Eastern Conference final Saturday night in what will be absolute bedlam in that arena after taking care of business on the road yet again. —Arpon Basu, New York Times, 15 May 2026

Now, by neither embracing that bedlam nor banning it outright, the action gets stuck in limbo. —Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Bedlam, popular name for the Hospital of St. Mary of Bethlehem, London, an asylum for the mentally ill, from Middle English Bedlem Bethlehem

First Known Use

1522, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Kids 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.