What is the meaning of musical chairs?

noun

  • A child's game in which players march to music around a group of chairs that contains one chair less than the number of players; when the music abruptly stops the players scramble to sit and the player who does not find a chair is eliminated; then a chair is removed and the march resumes until only the winner is seated.
  • A rearrangement that has no practical effect or significance.
    • usage: "the company is looking for stability after years of musical chairs with directors"; "shareholders don't want the company playing musical chairs with their investment"
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APAWordNet. (2010). musical chairs. Retrieved September 21, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/musical_chairs/definitions/1190073
ChicagoWordNet. 2010. "musical chairs" http://smartdefine.org/musical_chairs/definitions/1190073 (accessed September 21, 2026).
HarvardWordNet 2010, musical chairs, Smart Define, viewed 21 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/musical_chairs/definitions/1190073>.
MLAWordNet. "musical chairs" 23 October 2010. Web. 21 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/musical_chairs/definitions/1190073>