maelstrom
Americannoun
-
a large, powerful, or violent whirlpool.
-
a restless, disordered, or tumultuous state of affairs.
the maelstrom of early morning traffic.
- Synonyms:
- bedlam, pandemonium, tumult
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(initial capital letter) a famous hazardous whirlpool off the NW coast of Norway.
noun
-
a large powerful whirlpool
-
any turbulent confusion
noun
Etymology
Origin of maelstrom
1550–60 maelstrom for def. 3; < early Dutch maelstroom, now spelling maalstroom, representing mal ( en ) to grind + stroom stream. See meal 2, stream
Explanation
A maelstrom is a powerful whirlpool. A luckless ship might go down in one, and conflicting ocean currents might cause one. These days, you're more likely to hear maelstrom used metaphorically to describe disasters where many competing forces are at play. When an economy or a government fails, the situation is often described as a maelstrom. Following some precipitous event, all the forces at play — banks, governments, consumers — are trying as hard as they can to protect themselves. This creates a maelstrom — a perfect storm, so to speak — that drags any potential for rescue down with it. Maelstrom comes from an obsolete Dutch phrase meaning "whirling stream."
Vocabulary lists containing maelstrom
300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
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Words from "The Avengers"
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"The Odyssey," Vocabulary from Part 1 of the epic poem
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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.
Her motto is to keep a “cool head” amid the maelstrom.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026
Amid the maelstrom of the closing minutes in Cardiff there was a slightly comedic moment.
From BBC • Feb. 21, 2026
Karp led one of the country’s biggest law firms for 18 years and had survived a maelstrom less than a year ago when he struck a first-of-its-kind settlement with President Trump on his firm’s behalf.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026
At the same time, Salesforce is caught up in the maelstrom of artificial intelligence, and how it could disrupt its business.
From Barron's • Dec. 3, 2025
On March 10, AT 3:50 p.m., justice was served in a maelstrom of emotion, grief, and a nagging uncertainty that had plagued these people since it all began.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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.
