helter-skelter
1 of 3adverb
hel·ter-skel·ter ˌhel-tər-ˈskel-tər 
1
: in undue haste, confusion, or disorder
ran helter-skelter, getting in each other's way
F. V. W. Mason
F. V. W. Mason2
: in a haphazard manner
helter-skelter
2 of 3noun
1
: a disorderly confusion : turmoil
2
British : a spiral slide around a tower at an amusement park
helter-skelter
3 of 3adjective
1
: confusedly hurried : precipitate
2
: marked by a lack of order or plan : haphazard
the helter-skelter arrangement of the papers, all mussed and frayed Jean Stafford
Jean Stafford
Synonyms
Adverb
- amok
- amuck
- berserk
- berserkly
- frantically
- frenetically
- frenziedly
- harum-scarum
- hectically
- madly
- pell-mell
- wild
- wildly
Noun
- ado
- alarums and excursions
- ballyhoo
- blather
- bluster
- bobbery
- bother
- bustle
- clatter
- clutter [chiefly dialect]
- coil
- commotion
- corroboree [Australian]
- disturbance
- do [chiefly dialect]
- foofaraw
- fun
- furor
- furore
- fuss
- hoo-ha
- hoo-hah
- hoopla
- hubble-bubble
- hubbub
- hullabaloo
- hurly
- hurly-burly
- hurricane
- hurry
- hurry-scurry
- hurry-skurry
- kerfuffle [chiefly British]
- moil
- pandemonium
- pother
- row
- ruckus
- ruction
- rumpus
- shindy
- splore [Scottish]
- squall
- stew
- stir
- storm
- to-do
- tumult
- turmoil
- uproar
- welter
- whirl
- williwaw
- zoo
Adjective
- cursory
- drive-by
- flying
- gadarene
- hasty
- headlong
- hurried
- overhasty
- pell-mell
- precipitate
- precipitous
- rash
- rushed
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
Etymology
Adverb
perhaps from Middle English skelten to come, go
First Known Use
Adverb
1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
1713, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
1708, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
helter-skelter
adverb
hel·ter-skel·ter
ˌhel-tər-ˈskel-tər
1
: in a confused and reckless manner
Children raced helter-skelter through the house.
2
: in great disorder
Toys were thrown helter-skelter around the room.
helter-skelters
noun
as in disturbances
a state of noisy, confused activity in the helter-skelter at the amusement park the child got separated from his parents Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- disturbances
- commotions
- stirs
- rumpuses
- fusses
- hullabaloos
- turmoils
- furors
- ballyhoos
- hubbubs
- shindies
- furores
- noises
- fun
- pandemoniums
- storms
- pothers
- moils
- rows
- williwaws
- alarums and excursions
- rackets
- hurricanes
- zoos
- hurly-burlies
- shindys
- bobberies
- clatters
- coils
- hurry-skurries
- splores
- hubble-bubbles
- hurry-scurries
- hurlies
- welters
- clutters
- foofaraws
- bothers
- bustles
- ados
- ruckuses
- hoo-hahs
- corroborees
- do's
- blathers
- roars
- stews
- squalls
- ructions
- tumults
- hooplas
- uproars
- whirls
- flurries
- bluster
- kerfuffles
- disorders
- upheavals
- hoo-has
- to-dos
- howls
- dos
- cacophonies
- outcries
- hue and cries
- dins
- outbreaks
- eruptions
- clamors
- mêlées
- brawls
- flutters
- fevers
- outbursts
- frays
- scuffles
- melees
- fracas
- fracases
- tizzies
- frets
- hassles
- lathers
- dithers
- flare-ups
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- tranquillities
- tranquilities
- rests
- quietudes
- calms
- hushes
- peaces
- quiets
- orders
- elephant trunk
- elephant wood
- elephant's ear
- elephant's grass
- elephant's heads
- elephant's-foot
- elephant's-foots
- elephant's-head
- elephant's-tooth
- elephant's-tooths
- elephant's-trunk plant
- elephant's-tusk
- elephant's-tusk shell
- elephant's-tusk shells
- elephant's-tusks
- elephant-ear fern
- elephant-ear sponge
- Elephanta
- elephantiases
- elephantiasis
- elephantic
- Elephantidae
- elephantidaes
- elephantine
- elephantine tortoise