commotion
Americannoun
-
violent disturbance; upheaval
-
political insurrection; disorder
-
a confused noise; din
Synonym Usage
See ado.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of commotion
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin commōtiōn-, stem of commōtiō, from commōt(us) “disturbed” (past participle of commovēre “to displace, disturb,” literally, “to move together”; see commove) + -iō -ion
Explanation
A commotion is a noisy disturbance. If you're trying to quietly concentrate on reading this, you wouldn't want the person next to you to cause a commotion, or it would distract you. Commotion, which comes from the Middle French word commocion, means "violent motion, agitation." It can be a disorderly outburst or disruption, like someone yelling in the street at night, or five people arguing about someone talking on a cellphone while a play is being performed in front of them. Commotion can also describe out-of-control movement, like people pushing and shoving to get to the front row of a concert.
Vocabulary lists containing commotion
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
List 6
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Noise and crowd movement can make it harder to pick up an opponent’s ball, often where tolerance for the commotion ends.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2026
He called on the supporters of the ex-cricket captain -- who remains Pakistan's dominant political personality -- to abide by his party's agreement with the court that there "must not be any crowding or commotion".
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
Fox Business blamed the commotion on young people and their supposed addiction to “little treats.”
From Salon ● Aug. 13, 2026
"There was a lot of commotion in the tunnel after the game. Nobody was allowed out so we didn't see it."
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
The Jupiters heard the commotion and came over.
From "The Missing Mitt (The Hardy Boys: Secret Files, #2)" by Franklin W. Dixon
The harmonious commotions at the family dining table.
From Salon ● Jan. 25, 2026
At the convenience store, a manager told investigators that the suspect “had previously caused other commotions in the store,” police said.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 9, 2022
He was beautiful enough to cause commotions in tabloids and in teenagers’ chests, but there was always more to Perry than a pinup.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 6, 2019
But there have been many commotions since, and worse snubs.
From Economist ● Dec. 6, 2017
As his eyes followed the print the rest of his senses were on the alert to the various commotions that went on around him.
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
