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

Derived Forms

• comˈmotional, adjective

Other Words From

• com·motion·al adjective
• com·motive 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

A friend’s Facebook Live broadcast of the commotion shows a gaggle of guests behind her as Hunter shouts, “Let me go!”

From Washington Post

There should be a lot of commotion, but hopefully it goes smooth.

From Fortune

Inside the building, poll workers were doing their best to tune out the commotion.

From ProPublica

He wasn’t sure whether he’d hit the coyote, or even what the commotion was about.

From ProPublica

Yesterday morning, as I was wrapping up the newsletter, I got a bit distracted by some commotion on the street.

From Fortune

Apparently she had heard the commotion and made her way down from the third floor of the four-story townhouse.

From The Daily Beast

And you go on this boat because of all the hype and the commotion around it, and the boat is sinking.

From The Daily Beast

A commotion has erupted in one of the dressing rooms, sparing me more reminiscences from Tyrone.

From The Daily Beast

Someone from the nearby Choir Geek table hears the commotion, looks up, and sees me sitting at the most popular table at school.

From The Daily Beast

As I was turning carelessly away, a slight commotion in the group of curious loiterers around the gates attracted my attention.

From The Daily Beast

At this moment an extraordinary commotion began among the watches.

From Project Gutenberg

The embryo can be located by the commotion which its active motion produces among the corpuscles.

From Project Gutenberg

Then such a din and commotion you never heard nor saw, even on the glorious Fourth of July.

From Project Gutenberg

Incessant bugle-calls from the natives added to the commotion, and thousands of Chinese crowded into the Chinese Consulate.

From Project Gutenberg

Indeed, the arrival of the American volunteers under these distressing circumstances produced a fresh commotion in Yloilo.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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