free-for-all

American  

[free-fer-awl] / ˈfri fərˌɔl /

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.

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adjective

1. open to everyone.

free-for-all British  

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of free-for-all

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Example Sentences

That timeline broadly aligns with Nasdaq’s ambitions, but it also underscores the reality: Tokenized settlement in U.S. equities will arrive first as a tightly permissioned pilot, not an open on-chain free-for-all.

From MarketWatch

This year, it’s a total free-for-all, as competitors scramble to keep a minimum tempo of 120 beats per minute for 2 minutes and 50 seconds.

From The Wall Street Journal

Dismissal used to be a free-for-all — once the final bell rang, students would rush outside to find their bus or ride or to begin the walk home.

From Los Angeles Times

The airline ended up tweaking its free-for-all boarding, introducing boarding positions and poles at every gate to signify where travelers should line up to board.

From The Wall Street Journal

Over the past 30 years, the Beckhams have navigated a media landscape that has morphed from a tabloid feeding frenzy into a social media free-for-all, so the instinct to protect their image is perhaps understandable.

From BBC

Related Words

• brawl
• brouhaha
• fracas
• melee
• riot