snake pit

or snake·pit

See more synonyms for snake pit on Thesaurus.com

noun Informal.

a mental hospital marked by squalor and inhumane or indifferent care for the patients.
an intensely chaotic or disagreeable place or situation.

Origin of snake pit

First recorded in 1945–50

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for snake pit

Historical Examples of snake pit

He cut three red strips from his back, and cast him into the snake-pit.
The Norwegian Fairy Book
Clara Stroebe