pell-mell
adverb
ˌpel-ˈmel 
1
: in mingled confusion or disorder
papers strewn pell-mell on the desk
2
: in confused haste
ran pell-mell for the door
pell-mell adjective or noun
Did you know?
The word pell-mell was probably formed through a process called reduplication. The process—which involves the repetition of a word or part of a word, often including a slight change in its pronunciation—also generated such terms as bowwow, helter-skelter, flip-flop, and chitchat. Yet another product of reduplication is shilly-shally, which started out as a single-word compression of the question "Shall I?" For pell-mell, the process is believed to have occurred long ago: our word traces to a Middle French word of the same meaning, pelemele, which was likely a product of reduplication from Old French mesle, a form of mesler, meaning "to mix."
Synonyms
- amok
- amuck
- berserk
- berserkly
- frantically
- frenetically
- frenziedly
- harum-scarum
- hectically
- helter-skelter
- madly
- wild
- wildly
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
Etymology
Middle French pelemele
First Known Use
1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
pell-mell
adverb
ˈpel-ˈmel
: in a confused or hurried way People rushed pell-mell toward the exit.
pell-mell 1 of 2
adjective
1
as in hurried
acting or done with excessive or careless speed when the theater doors opened, there was a pell-mell rush for the best seats Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- hurried
- headlong
- rushed
- precipitate
- flying
- impulsive
- hasty
- sudden
- rash
- precipitous
- reckless
- helter-skelter
- cursory
- rapid
- makeshift
- rush
- overhasty
- swift
- breakneck
- spontaneous
- gadarene
- madcap
- quick
- abrupt
- impetuous
- drive-by
- breathtaking
- impromptu
- impatient
- slapdash
- speedy
- horseback
- headstrong
- snap
- unadvised
- heady
- hotheaded
- offhand
- spur-of-the-moment
- off-the-cuff
- offhanded
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- deliberate
- unhurried
- unrushed
- calculated
- circumspect
- prolonged
- measured
- calculating
- forethoughtful
- leisurely
- foresighted
- slow
- extended
- faltering
- tentative
- hesitating
- dallying
- pokey
- laggard
- poky
- hesitant
- drawn-out
- dawdling
- shilly-shallying
- long-term
2
as in chaotic
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness pell-mell piles of books everywhere in the professor's library Synonyms & Similar Words
- chaotic
- messy
- littered
- jumbled
- tumbled
- confused
- cluttered
- sloppy
- messed
- muddled
- filthy
- disarrayed
- tangled
- disordered
- disorderly
- shaggy
- dirty
- higgledy-piggledy
- disarranged
- rumpled
- untidy
- disheveled
- topsy-turvy
- hugger-mugger
- tousled
- unkempt
- wrinkled
- stained
- mussed
- mussy
- knotted
- blackened
- upside-down
- dishevelled
- nasty
- out of joint
- draggled
- slovenly
- grimy
- squalid
- uncombed
- sloven
- spotted
- frowsy
- sullied
- at sixes and sevens
- smudged
- dingy
- begrimed
- bedraggled
- snarled
- foul
- befouled
- contaminated
- soiled
- besmirched
- polluted
- mucky
- grubby
- tainted
- uncleanly
- grungy
- slatternly
- unclean
- bemired
- frowzy
- neglected
- sordid
- cruddy
- dowdy
- adulterated
- defiled
- grotty
- shabby
- negligent
- neglectful
- sleazy
- seedy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- orderly
- organized
- systematic
- uncluttered
- tidy
- sparkling
- methodical
- trim
- shipshape
- neat
- methodic
- clean
- crisp
- unsullied
- cleaned
- ordered
- cleanly
- immaculate
- systematized
- regular
- careful
- well-ordered
- antiseptic
- unsoiled
- kempt
- snug
- spotless
- stainless
- hygienic
- tidied
- spic-and-span
- meticulous
- spick-and-span
- bandbox
- fussy
- neatened
- fastidious
- combed
- finicky
- manicured
- wholesome
- unpolluted
- groomed
- untainted
- undefiled
- well-groomed
- taintless
pell-mell
2 of 2adverb
1
as in frantically
in a confused and reckless manner tossed stuff pell-mell into the dorm room Synonyms & Similar Words
- frantically
- wild
- wildly
- uncontrollably
- berserk
- amuck
- frenetically
- frenziedly
- amok
- hectically
- desperately
- harum-scarum
- helter-skelter
- madly
- heedlessly
- berserkly
- haywire
- confusedly
- recklessly
- agitatedly
- crazily
- haphazard
- tumultuously
- haphazardly
- riotously
- turbulently
- feverishly
- skittishly
- aimlessly
- chaotically
- wantonly
- topsy-turvy
- hotheadedly
- hit or miss
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- coolly
- calmly
- serenely
- placidly
- imperturbably
- cooly
- unconcernedly
- composedly
- peacefully
- meekly
- orderly
- tamely
- systematically
- mildly
- collectedly
- methodically
- passively
- self-composedly
- self-possessedly
2
as in hastily
with excessive or careless speed ran pell-mell down the road to get help Synonyms & Similar Words
- hastily
- hurriedly
- impulsively
- headlong
- precipitately
- hotfoot
- precipitously
- rashly
- cursorily
- automatically
- impetuously
- on the spur of the moment
- recklessly
- impatiently
- headfirst
- abruptly
- haphazardly
- impromptu
- spontaneously
- suddenly
- thoughtlessly
- headily
- glancingly
- hotheadedly
- offhand
- offhandedly
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- deliberately
- circumspectly
- designedly
- leisurely
- slowly
- tentatively
- haltingly
- studiedly
- hesitatingly
- hesitantly
- falteringly
- calculatingly