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bedlam Definition

bed·lam (bed′ləm)

noun

  1. an old insane asylum (in full, St. Mary of Bethlehem), later a hospital for the mentally ill, in London
  2. Archaic any insane asylum
  3. any place or condition of noise and confusion

Etymology: ME Bedlam, Bethlem, var. of Bethlehem

bedlam Synonyms

bedlam

n.

  1. Uproar

    confusion, pandemonium, clamor, chaos; see confusion 2, noise 2.

  2. A lunatic asylum

    madhouse, insane asylum, sanitarium; see hospital.

bedlam Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • cause: It was the Korean war where alleged American use of germ weapons caused international bedlam.
  • create: A duet of serial killers create bedlam in movie town.

Adjective modifier

  • total: It would be total bedlam, and so dangerous, if everyone tried to drive into the school!
  • absolute: We tried this at Blackbird Leys a couple of years ago and it was absolute bedlam.
  • sheer: Within a few minutes, it was sheer bedlam.
  • complete: The photographer arrived in the midst of complete bedlam at my house.

Modifies a noun

cube: The puzzle boxes are easy, compared to the bedlam retro cube which is still puzzling my nieces!

Browse dictionary entries near bedlam

  1. ‹ bedizen
  2. ‹ Bedivere
  3. ‹ bedim
  4. ‹ bedight
  5. ‹ Bedfordshire
  6. ‹ Bedford cord
  7. ‹ Bedford
  8. ‹ bedfellow
  9. ‹ bedfast
  10. ‹ bedew
  1. bedlamite ›
  2. Bedlington terrier ›
  3. Bedloe's Island ›
  4. Bedouin ›
  5. bedpan ›
  6. bedplate ›
  7. bedpost ›
  8. bedraggle ›
  9. bedraggled ›
  10. bedrail ›