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.
“Positive momentum across durable goods in February should hopefully help this area of the economy persevere through the current turmoil without too much damage,” he wrote.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026
Over the past five seasons, they have been crowned Portuguese champions three times, have found peace after several years of internal turmoil and reached financial stability.
From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026
The acting new attorney general must lead a Justice Department in turmoil while satisfying the president’s demands.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026
In Asia, a round of inflation data from China and economies in Southeast Asia will be scrutinized for signs of stress caused by the energy market turmoil.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
If the river continued through the throat at less than sonic speed—that is to say, less than the speed of sound—it became compacted in the divergent section, bound in turmoil, and inefficient.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
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.
