all hell breaks loose

phrase

informal

—used to describe what happens when violent, destructive, and confused activity suddenly begins

I heard people shouting at each other, and suddenly all hell broke loose.

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“All hell breaks loose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/all%20hell%20breaks%20loose. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.

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all hell breaks loose

phrase

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