free-for-all

[ free-fer-awl ]

noun

1. a fight, argument, contest, etc., open to everyone and usually without rules.

   Synonyms: donnybrook, melee, scrap, fracas, brawl

2. any competition or contested situation that is disordered, impulsive, or out of control:

   a free-for-all at the buffet table.

3. Informal. any enterprise or field of endeavor in which various companies, countries, participants, etc., compete without restriction:

   a price-cutting free-for-all among local stores.

adjective

1. open to everyone.

free-for-all

noun

1. informal.
   a disorganized brawl or argument, usually involving all those present

Word History and Origins

Origin of free-for-all¹

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Example Sentences

“When there’s a house that has been publicized as a free-for-all, you get people swarming the area and it’s creepy,” one neighbor said.

From Los Angeles Times

And if Harris doesn’t succeed in uniting the party, the convention could turn into a political free-for-all, with various candidates vying for the nomination before the cameras and behind closed doors.

From BBC

But in the event Biden withdraws, the party needs an alternative to a barnstorming free-for-all in Chicago.

From Los Angeles Times

Sudanese have been stunned by the destruction, but neither side looks capable of victory, and the war is metastasizing into a devastating free-for-all.

From New York Times

“Right now, it’s a bit of a free-for-all,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• brawl
• brouhaha
• fracas
• melee
• riot