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Mayhem Has Legal Roots
Legally speaking, mayhem refers to the gruesome crime of deliberately causing an injury that permanently disfigures another. The name derives via Middle English from the Anglo-French verb maheimer ("to maim") and is probably of Germanic origin; the English verb maim comes from the same ancestor. The disfigurement sense of mayhem first appeared in English in the 15th century. By the 19th century the word had come to mean any kind of violent behavior; nowadays, mayhem can be used to suggest any kind of chaos or disorder, as in "there was mayhem in the streets during the citywide blackout."
Examples of mayhem in a Sentence
Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
Paul Doyle, 53, was charged just three days after Monday's mayhem marred the celebration of Liverpool Football Club’s English Premier League title win.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 29 May 2025
At the very least, the planned aircraft interior enhancements offer a welcome distraction from the mayhem at one of United’s most important hubs.
—Chris Dong, AFAR Media, 13 May 2025
On the night of May 1, 2024, a group of pro-Israel demonstrators attacked, triggering mayhem.
—James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for mayhem
Cite this Entry
“Mayhem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mayhem. Accessed 8 Jun. 2025.
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Medical Definition
California Statewide Law Enforcement Association Legal Definition
mayhem
noun
Note: Under the Model Penal Code and the codes of the states that follow it, mayhem is encompassed by assault and aggravated assault.
Anglo-French mahaim, mahain, literally, mutilation, from Old French mahain, from mahaignier to injure, mutilate
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