omnishambles

American  

[om-nuh-sham-buhlz] / ˈɒm nəˌʃæm bəlz /

noun

(used with a singular verb)

1. Chiefly British Informal. a situation, especially in politics, in which poor judgment results in disorder or chaos with potentially disastrous consequences.

   Many people think that Brexit created a real omnishambles for Britain.

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• omnishambles
  plural

Etymology

Origin of omnishambles

2009; omni- + shambles ¹ ( def. ); first used in the BBC TV series The Thick of It, a political satire

Example Sentences

How the alleged affair won her a book deal and speaking gigs, yes, but how her life also became an omnishambles of harassment and threats.

From Washington Post • Mar. 22, 2023

He cited George Osborne's 2012 Budget - dubbed the "omnishambles" - as an example of when economic policies have been "quickly reversed".

From BBC • Oct. 2, 2022

If his book is an omnishambles, well, I’ve always had a soft spot for rough noise.

From New York Times • Jun. 22, 2021

“It’s an omnishambles, as Malcolm Tucker would say.”

From The Guardian • Sep. 19, 2019

But it was omnishambles that most impressed the judges.

From BBC • Nov. 13, 2012