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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pell-mell
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
Its unreformed economy is in secular decline, while its pell-mell effort to modernize its armed forces and take strategic initiative has revived NATO, terrified Russia’s formerly pro-Russian neighbors, and put off much of the world.
—Alexander J. Motyl, Foreign Affairs, 25 Sep. 2016
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
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
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
Ministry is not nearly as proficient as Chad Stahelski’s John Wick 4 or Matthias Schweighöfer’s Army of Thieves, but the pell-mell combat scenes are consistently cartoonish.
—Armond White, National Review, 19 Apr. 2024
America saw a pell-mell downsizing of gas-guzzling vehicles and a simultaneous ramping up of imports of fuel-efficient Japanese cars.
—Jim Krane, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2023
Adverb
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
Its unreformed economy is in secular decline, while its pell-mell effort to modernize its armed forces and take strategic initiative has revived NATO, terrified Russia’s formerly pro-Russian neighbors, and put off much of the world.
—Alexander J. Motyl, Foreign Affairs, 25 Sep. 2016
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
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
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
Ministry is not nearly as proficient as Chad Stahelski’s John Wick 4 or Matthias Schweighöfer’s Army of Thieves, but the pell-mell combat scenes are consistently cartoonish.
—Armond White, National Review, 19 Apr. 2024
America saw a pell-mell downsizing of gas-guzzling vehicles and a simultaneous ramping up of imports of fuel-efficient Japanese cars.
—Jim Krane, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pell-mell
Adjective
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Nevertheless, the Spaniard drove his happiness in it throughout the facility, always with his signature celebratory cigar and at no greater speed than the hurried pace of an ordinary person.—
Kevin Sabet,
Newsweek,
24 Mar. 2025
-
While some treasure hoards dating to this period appear hurried — as if someone was trying to hide their wealth in a moment of crisis, for example — the Galloway Hoard looks different.—
Joshua Rapp Learn,
Discover Magazine,
15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Social Security problems The chaotic situation around DOGE has raised concerns that federal programs such as Social Security that many Americans rely on could be impacted.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2025
-
Carter arrives as a fumbling, awkward, lovable med student—the audience surrogate in the chaotic and intense environment of a fictional Chicago emergency ward.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
28 Mar. 2025
Adverb
-
Later, a boy spotted the car and frantically rode his scooter to try and get a better look.—
Saahil Desai,
The Atlantic,
29 Mar. 2025
-
Seth Rogen’s new sitcom, The Studio, sees him as a movie exec frantically trying to do the impossible: make good films that are also blockbusters.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2025
Adverb
-
The Nassau County bill was hastily passed for partisan political purposes.—
Marc Morial,
New York Daily News,
29 Mar. 2025
-
Many simply vanished into rubble, while others were hastily buried in unmarked graves.—
Natasha Frost,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
That will mean messy debates over taxes, benefits programs, the debt ceiling and other big-ticket items.—
Riley Beggin,
USA Today,
5 Apr. 2025
-
Grey's Anatomy may have hit its 20th anniversary last month, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for one more medical drama (with messy romances) — and Netflix wants in.—
Rebecca Aizin,
People.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
The two met in London and, wildly, got matching tattoos together one drunken night, but that was the end of it.—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
30 Mar. 2025
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Most recently working on Netflix’s live-action adaption of the long-running and wildly popular anime One Piece, the duo have also worked on Netflix’s The Witcher adaption and the upcoming Red Sonja film.—
Nicole Fell,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
While no supporter — surely — would swap any of that frenetic, headlong decade for Tottenham’s inert version of stability, glory becomes addictive.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
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This endless, headlong energy can produce a caffeinated buzz that rises to the brain on little prickling bubbles of enjoyment.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Adverb
-
All of it wild-caught.—
Amy Drew Thompson,
orlandosentinel.com,
14 Aug. 2020
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Our first stop is in a wild-looking stretch 200 yards south of the railroad tracks and State Street.—
Paul A. Smith,
Journal Sentinel,
2 Jan. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Pell-mell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pell-mell. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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