commotion

[kuh-moh-shuhn]

noun

1. violent or tumultuous motion; agitation; noisy disturbance.

   What's all the commotion in the hallway?

   Synonyms: bustle, turbulence, riot, tumult, turmoil, disorder

2. political or social disturbance or upheaval; sedition; insurrection.

commotion

/ kəˈməʊʃən /

noun

1. violent disturbance; upheaval

2. political insurrection; disorder

3. a confused noise; din

Other Word Forms

• commotional adjective
• commotive adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of commotion¹

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”; commove ) + -iō -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of commotion¹

C15: from Latin commōtiō, from commovēre to throw into disorder, from com- (intensive) + movēre to _move

Idioms and Phrases

see cause a commotion.

Synonym Study

See ado.

Example Sentences

Ama closes the door behind us, shutting us off from the commotion outside.

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“Why, just the other day, our trip to Buckingham Palace was cut short when the children mistook one of the palace guards for a bear. It caused quite a commotion.”

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But during service, one of the other kids acted out and there was a small commotion.

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Others didn’t hide their confusion at who the man with slicked-back graying hair causing such a commotion was.

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So she didn’t hurry, but carefully made her way across the dam, toward the commotion.

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Related Words

• agitation 
• annoyance 
• brouhaha 
• bustle 
• confusion 
• excitement 
• ferment 
• flap 
• furor 
• fuss 
• hubbub 
• outcry 
• pandemonium 
• rebellion 
• revolt 
• tumult 
• turbulence 
• upheaval