omnishambles

American  

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

noun

(used with a singular verb)

plural

omnishambles

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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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

He called the lack of information surrounding different UK restrictions an "omnishambles".

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2024

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

If you’d coined omnishambles, you could probably die happy.

From The Guardian • May 29, 2015

For the occasion, The Star-Ledger’s Dave D’Alessandro dusted off the word omnishambles, which is nice if a bit lacking in highlighting the absurdity of it all.

From New York Times • Jan. 9, 2013

But it was omnishambles that most impressed the judges.

From BBC • Nov. 13, 2012