US /ˈbɛdləm/ UK /ˈbɛdləm/
noun

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    a scene of uproar and confusion

    When the fire alarm rang, the office descended into bedlam.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 noun · a scene of uproar and... uproarchaospandemoniumcommotionturmoilmayhemconfusion
Word family
Derived forms bedlamite
Related forms Bethlehem

Etymology

An alteration of Bethlehem, from the Hospital of St. Mary of Bethlehem in London, a medieval asylum for the mentally ill; the name became a byword for madhouse and then for any scene of uproar.

View etymology graph ->

Topics

markdown

Send feedback

Optional — only if you'd like a reply.