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

A big reason is because the selloff in the past couple of weeks has been an orderly one, as McCourt highlights, rather than a panicked free-for-all.

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

And if the teacher is showing a video in class, it is a free-for-all, said Trimua.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

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 • Feb. 19, 2026

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 • Feb. 2, 2026

Is the internet free-for-all going to kill off the very musical endeavour most beloved of its young pirates?

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Related Words

• brawl
• brouhaha
• fracas
• melee
• riot