musical chairs

American  

noun

1. Also called going to Jerusalem.  a game in which players march to music around two rows of chairs placed back to back, there being one chair less than the number of players, the object being to find a seat when the music stops abruptly. The player failing to do so is removed from the game, together with one chair, at each interval.

2. Informal. a situation or series of events in which jobs, decisions, prospects, etc., are changed with confusing rapidity.

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musical chairs British  

noun

1. a party game in which players walk around chairs while music is played, there being one fewer chair than players. Whenever the music stops, the player who fails to find a chair is eliminated

2. any situation involving a number of people in a series of interrelated changes

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Etymology

Origin of musical chairs

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

musical chairs

Erin Mulvaney explains how the Wachtell defections reflect a broader trend of elite New York firms losing ground to bigger rivals, where rainmakers play high-stakes musical chairs for pay packages rivaling those of NBA stars.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026

An uncomfortable game of musical chairs is playing out on Wall Street.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026

The poaching has created a game of musical chairs for lawyers on this rarefied roster.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026

What started as musical chairs is beginning to sound like a sad trombone.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2025

This game of musical chairs, sort of like a reverse sports draft, was the way of DOCS.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover