turmoil
Americannoun
-
a state of great commotion, confusion, or disturbance; tumult; agitation; disquiet.
mental turmoil caused by difficult decisions.
- Synonyms:
- uproar, disorder, turbulence
-
Obsolete. hard labor; toil.
noun
verb
Related Words
See agitation.
Etymology
Origin of turmoil
First recorded in 1520–30; originally as verb: “to agitate”; etymology uncertain; perhaps tur(n) + moil
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.
The ticking clock made it difficult for the board to consider replacing him without risking throwing the preparations into turmoil, people close to the group said.
The measures - which in some cases were much higher than before trade deals were struck - sparked widespread turmoil for businesses and global economies.
From BBC
Offstage, growing slashes in Will’s leather doublets depict “emotional turmoil.”
From Los Angeles Times
Rather than the explosive fits of some of Duvall’s other performances, there is a sustained sense of a man trying to control the turmoil within himself.
From Los Angeles Times
"Geopolitical turmoil in the wake of the crisis in Greenland has been a wake-up call," Jorgensen told reporters.
From Barron's
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.
