free-for-all

[free-fer-awl]

noun

1. a fight, argument, contest, etc., open to everyone and usually without rules.

   Synonyms: donnybrook, melee, scrap, fracas, brawl

2. any competition or contested situation that is disordered, impulsive, or out of control.

   a free-for-all at the buffet table.

3. Informal.,  any enterprise or field of endeavor in which various companies, countries, participants, etc., compete without restriction.

   a price-cutting free-for-all among local stores.

adjective

1. open to everyone.

free-for-all

noun

1. informal,  a disorganized brawl or argument, usually involving all those present

Word History and Origins

Origin of free-for-all¹

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Example Sentences

The dining hall had turned into a free-for-all of chaos.

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Its head Alun Jones said regulation has not kept up, creating "loopholes and anomalies", while one GP likened the current situation to a "free-for-all".

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On the opposite end of the parkway is its fraternal twin, the “rainbow” bed — a free-for-all of colorful plants.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Having big manufacturers like Cosmax do the heavy lifting allows many with little experience in cosmetics to join the K-beauty free-for-all.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

If anything, she suggests the holiday should be celebrated more as a fun, community event rather than a sugary free-for-all.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• brawl 
• brouhaha 
• fracas 
• melee 
• riot