musical chairs

noun

plural in form but singular in construction
: a game in which players march to music around a row of chairs numbering one less than the players and scramble for seats when the music stops
also : a situation or series of events suggesting the game of musical chairs (as in rapid change or confusing activity)

Examples of musical chairs in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Dreadful game of the week: Indianapolis Colts at New York Jets — The Colts (4-6) desperately need wins to remain in the thick of the AFC playoff race, and the team continues to play musical chairs with its quarterbacks, reinserting Anthony Richardson as starter on Wednesday. Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 15 Nov. 2024 Home birthday parties with musical chairs, field games, and pin the tail on the donkey have mostly gone the way of shoulder pads and acid-wash jeans, but the tradition of throwing birthday parties rages on. Heather M. Jones, Parents, 6 Nov. 2024 With only five seats available, the election will be a game of musical chairs, leaving the lowest vote-getter as the sole loser. Austin Corona, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024 Last week, Pete Buttigieg sat in a studio in Michigan, surrounded by 25 undecided voters who rushed, musical chairs style, to sit across a table from him and debate his positions on Kamala Harris and Donald Trump’s policies. Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for musical chairs 

Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of musical chairs was in 1877

Dictionary Entries Near musical chairs

Cite this Entry

“Musical chairs.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/musical%20chairs. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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