Helter-skelter — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adverb noun adjective /ˌhel-tər-ˈskel-tər/ hel·ter-skel·ter

Meaning & Definition of Helter-skelter

Helter-skelter (adverb)

  1. in undue haste, confusion, or disorder
  2. in a haphazard manner

Helter-skelter (noun)

  1. a disorderly confusion, turmoil
  2. a spiral slide around a tower at an amusement park

Helter-skelter (adjective)

  1. confusedly hurried, precipitate
  2. marked by a lack of order or plan, haphazard

Helter-skelter (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. acting or done with excessive or careless speed

    "a bill that was pushed through committee in a last-minute helter-skelter burst of legislative activity"

    similar: cursory, drive-by, flying, gadarene, hasty, headlong, hurried, overhasty, pell-mell, precipitate, precipitous, rash, rushed
    related: breakneck, breathtaking, headstrong, heady, hotheaded, impatient, impetuous, impulsive, madcap, reckless, unadvised, quick, rapid, speedy, swift, horseback, impromptu, makeshift, offhand, offhanded, off-the-cuff, rush, slapdash, snap, spontaneous, spur-of-the-moment, abrupt, sudden
    opposite: deliberate, unhurried, unrushed
    near: calculated, calculating, measured, circumspect, foresighted, forethoughtful, drawn-out, extended, long-term, prolonged, faltering, hesitant, hesitating, tentative, dallying, dawdling, laggard, leisurely, poky, shilly-shallying, slow

  2. lacking a definite plan, purpose, or pattern

    "papers, books, and unopened mail were stacked helter-skelter on the desk"

    similar: aimless, arbitrary, catch-as-catch-can, desultory, erratic, haphazard, hit-or-miss, random, scattered, slapdash, stray
    related: accidental, casual, chance, chancy, contingent, fluky, fortuitous, inadvertent, incidental, lucky, unconsidered, unintended, unintentional, unplanned, unpremeditated, scattershot, shotgun, irregular, odd, sporadic, spot, directionless, objectless, purposeless, indiscriminate, unsystematic, undirected, disorderly, disorganized, undiscriminating, unselective
    opposite: methodical, nonrandom, orderly, organized, regular, systematic, systematized
    near: established, fixed, regular, set, stable, steady, constant, continuous, even, arranged, managed, orchestrated, ordered, planned, aware, conscious, deliberate, purposeful, thoughtful, willful

Helter-skelter (adverb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. in a confused and reckless manner

    "the sheep ran helter-skelter inside their pen when the coyote appeared in their midst"

    similar: amok, berserk, berserkly, frantically, frenetically, frenziedly, harum-scarum, hectically, madly, pell-mell, wild, wildly
    related: agitatedly, confusedly, crazily, desperately, feverishly, haywire, skittishly, uncontrollably, heedlessly, hotheadedly, recklessly, wantonly, chaotically, riotously, tumultuously, turbulently, aimlessly, haphazard, haphazardly, hit or miss, topsy-turvy
    near: calmly, collectedly, composedly, coolly, imperturbably, peacefully, placidly, self-composedly, self-possessedly, serenely, unconcernedly, meekly, mildly, passively, tamely, methodically, orderly, systematically

  2. without definite aim, direction, rule, or method

    "goods arranged helter-skelter on the shelves of the variety store"

    similar: aimlessly, anyhow, anyway, anywise, desultorily, erratically, haphazard, haphazardly, hit or miss, irregularly, randomly, willy-nilly, at random
    related: arbitrarily, capriciously, carelessly, casually, indiscriminately, informally, offhand, offhandedly, promiscuously, whimsically, accidentally, fortuitously, inadvertently, unconsciously, unintentionally, unwittingly, disconnectedly, disjointedly, fitfully, intermittently, spottily, unpredictably, higgledy-piggledy, topsy-turvy
    opposite: methodically, systematically
    near: carefully, formally, gingerly, meticulously, orderly, punctiliously, deliberately, intentionally, purposefully, purposely

Helter-skelter (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a state of noisy, confused activity

    "in the helter-skelter at the amusement park the child got separated from his parents"

    similar: ado, alarums and excursions, ballyhoo, blather, bluster, bobbery, bother, bustle, clatter, clutter (chiefly dialect), coil, commotion, disturbance, do (chiefly dialect), foofaraw, fun, furor, furore, fuss, hoo-ha, hoopla, hubble-bubble, hubbub, hullabaloo, hurly, hurly-burly, hurricane, hurry, hurry-scurry, 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
    related: cacophony, clamor, din, howl, hue and cry, noise, outcry, racket, roar, disorder, unrest, upheaval, eruption, flare-up, flurry, flutter, outbreak, outburst, brawl, fracas, fray, hassle, melee, scuffle, dither, fever, fret, lather, tizzy
    near: calm, hush, peace, quiet, quietude, rest, stillness, tranquility, order, orderliness

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Helter-skelter

The most common words with a similar meaning to Helter-skelter:

Chiefly dialect: clutter, do
Chiefly British: kerfuffle
Scottish: splore
cursory, drive-by, flying, gadarene, hasty, headlong, hurried, overhasty, pell-mell, precipitate, precipitous, rash, rushed, aimless, arbitrary, catch-as-catch-can, desultory, erratic, haphazard, hit-or-miss, random, scattered, slapdash, stray, amok, berserk, berserkly, frantically, frenetically, frenziedly, harum-scarum, hectically, madly, wild, wildly, aimlessly, anyhow, anyway, anywise, desultorily

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Helter-skelter

Words with the opposite meaning of Helter-skelter:

deliberate, unhurried, unrushed, methodical, nonrandom, orderly, organized, regular, systematic, systematized, methodically, systematically

Related Words for Helter-skelter

breakneck, breathtaking, headstrong, heady, hotheaded, impatient, impetuous, impulsive, madcap, reckless, unadvised, quick, rapid, speedy, swift, horseback, impromptu, makeshift, offhand, offhanded, off-the-cuff, rush, snap, spontaneous, spur-of-the-moment, abrupt, sudden, accidental, casual, chance

Near Antonyms of Helter-skelter

calculated, calculating, measured, circumspect, foresighted, forethoughtful, drawn-out, extended, long-term, prolonged, faltering, hesitant, hesitating, tentative, dallying, dawdling, laggard, leisurely, poky, shilly-shallying, slow, established, fixed, set, stable, steady, constant, continuous, even, arranged

Origin & Etymology of Helter-skelter

perhaps from Middle English skelten to come, go

First known use: 1593

Frequently Asked Questions about Helter-skelter

What does "Helter-skelter" mean?

"Helter-skelter" means in undue haste, confusion, or disorder. As an an adverb, a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: in undue haste, confusion, or disorder. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Helter-skelter"?

Other words for "Helter-skelter" include cursory, drive-by, flying, gadarene, hasty, headlong, hurried and overhasty. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Helter-skelter" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Helter-skelter"?

There are 224 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Helter-skelter". Common alternatives include cursory, drive-by, flying, gadarene, hasty, headlong, hurried, overhasty, pell-mell and precipitate.

What is the opposite of "Helter-skelter"?

Antonyms of "Helter-skelter" include deliberate, unhurried, unrushed, methodical, nonrandom, orderly, organized and regular. Near antonyms include calculated, calculating, measured and circumspect.

How do you use "Helter-skelter" in a sentence?

Examples of "Helter-skelter" in a sentence: "a bill that was pushed through committee in a last-minute helter-skelter burst of legislative activity"; "papers, books, and unopened mail were stacked helter-skelter on the desk"; "the sheep ran helter-skelter inside their pen when the coyote appeared in their midst".

Is "Helter-skelter" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Helter-skelter" can be used as an adverb, a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Helter-skelter"?

"Helter-skelter" is pronounced /ˌhel-tər-ˈskel-tər/ and divided into syllables as hel·ter-skel·ter.

What is the origin of the word "Helter-skelter"?

"Helter-skelter" comes from perhaps from Middle English skelten to come, go. First known use: 1593.