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View synonyms for maelstrom

maelstrom

[ meyl-struhm ]

noun

  1. a large, powerful, or violent whirlpool.
  2. a restless, disordered, or tumultuous state of affairs:

    the maelstrom of early morning traffic.

    Synonyms: bedlam, pandemonium, tumult

  3. (initial capital letter) a famous hazardous whirlpool off the NW coast of Norway.


maelstrom

1

/ ˈmeɪlstrəʊm /

noun

  1. a large powerful whirlpool
  2. any turbulent confusion
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


Maelstrom

2

/ ˈmeɪlstrəʊm /

noun

  1. a strong tidal current in a restricted channel in the Lofoten Islands off the NW coast of Norway
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of maelstrom1

1550–60 maelstrom fordef 3; < early Dutch maelstroom, now spelling maalstroom, representing mal ( en ) to grind + stroom stream. See meal 2, stream
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Word History and Origins

Origin of maelstrom1

C17: from obsolete Dutch maelstroom, from malen to grind, whirl round + stroom stream
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Example Sentences

They suspected that one particular geometric trait might allow electrons to swirl into exotic maelstroms that behave in an entirely novel manner.

Facing the toxic maelstrom of the presidential election and many divisive state and local contests, teachers across the country find themselves rethinking how — or even whether — to provide lessons on America’s political selection process.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong started a maelstrom when he said his company would engage “minimally” around politics.

From Fortune

In the midst of a maelstrom, these technologies—among them social media, mobile apps, analytics, and cloud computing—help communities cope with the pandemic and learn crucial lessons.

Amid the maelstrom of negative news about the dangers of misinformation and the exploitation of private data, it’s easy to lose sight of how technology can help the greater cause.

From Ozy

And it merely delayed the apocalyptic maelstrom that followed rather than preventing it.

Within this maelstrom of mendacity lies an urgent film that dares to convey the black experience in America: Dear White People.

Ruffalo, who plays his brother, is great as the steady hand amid a maelstrom of emotion.

The blast was a stupefying white flash followed by a body-shaking howl, and it was the cue for a maelstrom of metallic shrieks.

I directed the 15th episode, which was right in the middle of a maelstrom of shooting and cutting The Divide.

He entered the army and went to India—that deadly maelstrom which has swallowed up so much of British youth and blood and beauty!

Courtiers of forty years' standing, and such I may write myself, are as far to seek in the matter as a minnow in the Maelstrom.

Back they would come at night, and the terrible, narrow maelstrom of pettiness sucked them in.

We would have learned no lesson from the war, but gained only the regret that it had involved us in its maelstrom of suffering.

Her voice trailed after her, for she was already backing off into the maelstrom with her arms cradled in Ten Eyck's arms.

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