musical chairs

noun

1. Also called going to Jerusalem. a game in which players march to music around two rows of chairs placed back to back, there being one chair less than the number of players, the object being to find a seat when the music stops abruptly. The player failing to do so is removed from the game, together with one chair, at each interval.

2. Informal.,  a situation or series of events in which jobs, decisions, prospects, etc., are changed with confusing rapidity.

musical chairs

noun

1. a party game in which players walk around chairs while music is played, there being one fewer chair than players. Whenever the music stops, the player who fails to find a chair is eliminated

2. any situation involving a number of people in a series of interrelated changes

Word History and Origins

Origin of musical chairs¹

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

It’s musical chairs along the offensive line as the Chargers scramble to protect the blind side of franchise quarterback Justin Herbert without handcuffing their offense by committing too many resources to doing so.

From Los Angeles Times

No Texas Democrats have announced how they would handle the musical chairs scenario the new map would trigger.

From Salon

Kansas City Chiefs: G Armand Membou, Missouri — It was musical chairs on the Kansas City offensive line at the end of last season.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s like a game of musical chairs where you keep adding players, but not seats, and you give a head start based on wealth.

From Salon

A combination of redrawn district boundaries and some political musical chairs has energized the race, setting it up to be one of the most-watched legislative contests in November.

From Los Angeles Times